This week, the new and ultra-efficient Toyota Prius Plug-in hybrid is launching to the UK’s reviewers, road testers and motoring writers.
We’ll be bringing you more for the event this week, and we’ll report back on the reviews as they come in so you can find out all about the car from the independent experts.
To coincide with the launch, we asked for your questions about the car, and we can now bring you the answers.
Read on for all you need to know about the Prius Plug-in – and don’t forget to leave us a comment below if your question hasn’t been answered yet.
How does the Prius Plug-in work?
The Prius Plug-in is what we term a PHEV, or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. It uses a development of Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive system that combines a rechargeable lithium-ion battery with a 1.8-litre petrol engine to deliver smooth, refined and ultra-efficient driving and incredible economy.
The lithium-ion battery means it can drive approximately 15.5 miles purely on electric power, meaning low running costs and zero emissions.
What is the range of the Prius Plug-in?
The electric-only range of the Prius Plug-in is approximately 15.5 miles, enabling typical commuter journeys to be accomplished with zero tailpipe emissions. Thanks to the hybrid powertrain’s petrol engine, Prius Plug-in is equally able to accomplish long distance trips.
Once the car has reached the limit of its EV driving range, it automatically operates in full hybrid mode, with the petrol engine coming into play. This means there is none of the concern about whether the car can reach its destination without running out of power – the ‘range anxiety’ that is typically associated with full electric vehicles.
How much does the Toyota Prius Plug-in cost?
Prices for the Toyota Prius Plug-in start at £32,895 on the road, but this falls to £27,895 with the benefit of the £5,000 Government grant available on new plug-in vehicle purchases, provided through the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV).
What is the CO2 emissions figure of the Prius Plug-in?
The Prius Plug-in achieves a new low benchmark in its class with official CO2 emissions of 49g/km, way below the 100g/km threshold for UK road tax (VED).
What are the fuel consumption figures of the Prius Plug-in?
Official combined mpg figures are 78.5mpg in HV (hybrid vehicle) mode. When you drive solely in EV (electric vehicle) mode, the Prius Plug-in uses no fuel. However, official figures been calculated for EV mode using a standard testing cycle which takes the average from one run with a fully charged battery and a second run with a depleted battery.
Do I need to charge the Prius Plug-in?
Not necessarily. If the Prius Plug-in’s battery is not charged, it simply performs as a ‘standard’ Toyota hybrid vehicle, using the engine and/or the electric motor depending on the driving conditions and battery state of charge.
However, charging the battery does ensure the highest levels of efficiency and zero-emissions driving, particularly in stop-start or low-speed conditions, so we recommend regular charging.
What happens when the EV battery on Prius Plug-in runs out of charge?
The car automaticlaly switches to HV (hybrid vehicle) mode and runs as a standard Toyota Hybrid, just like the normal Prius.
[youtube width=”580″ height=”400″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVe_-bps7hw[/youtube]What do I need to charge the Toyota Prius Plug-in?
The Prius Plug-in comes with a dedicated charging cable, which fits under the boot floor. This plugs into a standard domestic socket, but we recommend an isolated charge point is installed to protect against overloading your home’s system. Toyota’s recommended supplier of electric car charging points in British Gas, who will provide a free site survey to our customers. British Gas says it can supply a charging point for as little as £375 – find out more on the Toyota website. Buyers are not obliged to use British Gas.
How long does it take to fully recharge the Prius Plug-in?
Around 1.5 hours using a standard 240V electrical supply.
How long is the EV battery warranty?
The EV battery has a warranty of eight years. The Prius Plug-in benefits from the standard five-year Toyota Warranty.
What is the battery life of the Prius Plug-in?
The lithium-ion battery is designed to last the life of the vehicle.
How much heavier is the battery pack from the regular Prius?
The Lithium-ion battery in the Prius Plug-in weighs 80kg, the Nickel-Metal Hydride battery of the Prius weighs 42kg.
Does the EV battery take away space from the passenger compartment or luggage capacity?
Luggage capacity above the floor is only 2 litres smaller in the Prius Plug-in than in Prius, at 443 litres (compared with 446 litres for Prius). Below the floor, space is smaller – 40.5 litres vs. 48 litres. Total load volume increases to 1,120 litres when the rear seats are folded.
These figures were measured by the VDA method.
What is the fuel tank capacity of the Prius Plug-in?
45 litres.
What is the 0-62mph time of the Toyota Prius Plug-in?
The 0-62mph time is 11.4 seconds. Top speed is 112mph.
How does the Prius Plug-in compare with the Prius in terms of performance?
The top speeds of the two cars are the same, at 112mph. The Prius has a 0-62mph time of 10.4 seconds, one second quicker than the Prius Plug-in.
Does the Prius Plug-in have a spare wheel?
The Prius Plug-in comes with a tyre repair kit to save weight.
Is DAB digital radio available on the Prius Plug-in?
DAB digital radio is available as a dealer-fit option.
Does the Prius Plug-in have Adaptive Cruise Control?
The Prius Plug-in has cruise control as standard. Adaptive Cruise Control is not available.
Can I pre-heat the interior of the Prius Plug-in before using it?
Pre-heating is not available on Prius Plug-in. This is because the car’s air conditioning is coordinated with the standard front seat heaters. This enables the system to reach a comfortable temperature for the driver and passenger more quickly and effectively, further improving efficiency.
When does the Prius Plug-in go on sale?
The Toyota Prius Plug-in is arriving in UK showrooms now (July 2012).
How can I book a test drive?
You can book a test drive in the Toyota Prius Plug-in on the Toyota UK website.
How can I read a brochure for the Toyota Prius Plug-in?
You can read the online eBrochure or order a paper brochure on the Toyota website, or find out more about the car here.
Do you recommend only plugging in the Prius plugin to charge once the battery has been fully run down or can you top up the charge when ever you need? i.e. If I have driven only half of the EV range and I am near a charge point should I top up?
Hi Hayder,
Thanks for your question. The Prius Plug-in can be charged at any convenient point, when empty or partially charged.
We hope this helps.
I live in the mountains. Can the plugin hybrid charge the li-ion battery while going downhill? On my gen3 Prius I top the charge after about 5 km while I have another 20km to go. Would a plugin Prius provide me with more efficiency?
Regards,
Zarick
Hi Zarick,
Due to its lithium-ion battery, the Prius Plug-in does have greater efficiency than the standard Prius. The regenerative braking will charge the battery to a give a maximum of 15.5 miles of electric driving. This electric power can be used in an urban environment and once it’s run out, the hybrid system will work as your standard Prius. The Prius Plug-in is most efficient in urban driving conditions so it will depend on your driving environment and the amount of city driving you do as to which one is best.
We hope this helps, many thanks.
I agree, even with careful Eco driving, the EV range varies between 10.5 and 12.3miles after a full charge for no apparent reason. I was ‘realistically’ expecting the battery to accept less charge and give it up less efficiently as the winter approaches and temperatures remain below 5-10 C on a daily basis. Therefore seeing 10.5miles EV range after a full charge was not a surprise. If this is a factor, can we expect EV range to increase again in the spring/summer when ambient temperatures are always above 10-15C. Why isn’t the actual experience of the London trial cars published from data gathered over the last two years, to inform customers and dealers of what to expect and what is considered ‘normal’. This real life experience from these UK trials would make a very interesting read. Thanks for your reply, Mark R Oakley
Hi Mark,
Thank you for getting in touch with us. We’re sorry for the delay in getting back to you, we are currently looking into this for you with the relevant department and will get back to you with an answer.
Many thanks.
Hi Mark,
The official figure for the top end EV range is 15.5 miles in the Prius Plug-in. You’re quite right, like with all hybrid and electric vehicles, this range may be marginally reduced in cold weather. The EV range displayed is dependent on the driving situation and style, however a slightly higher or lower actual range could be achieved. Further to this, the EV range may also depend on the use of on-board electrical equipment.
The data from the trial cars was collected for internal product development, and there are no plans currently for this information to be published.
Many thanks for taking the time to write to us.
Kind regards.
What is the usual EV range of Prius plug-in in cold weather (right now October 27, 2012), such as about 60 degree F?
Hi Philip,
Thank you for getting in touch with us. We’re sorry for the delay in getting back to you, we are currently looking into this for you with the relevant department and will get back to you with an answer.
Many thanks.
Hi Philip,
The official figure for the top end EV range is 15.5 miles in the Prius Plug-in. You’re quite right, like with all hybrid and electric vehicles, this range may be slightly reduced in cold weather. We can’t give you an exact figure of what this variance may be. This may also depend on driving style and the use of on-board electrical equipment. You can find out more on efficient driving techniques here: http://ow.ly/f3uqx.
Many thanks for your post.
I have ordered the Plug in Prius and one question I have forgotten to ask is: what is the length of the standard charging cable that is supplied with the vehicle? It’s not detailed in the brochure and it really is an important consideration. Also is there a risk of theft of the cable? If so couldn’t the flap be designed to lock the cable to the vehicle whilst charging? Do on street / car park charging points have their own cables reducing the risk to zero of mine being removed?
Hi Alan,
Many thanks for your post.
The length of the charging cable that comes with the car is 5 meters. Public charging points do not have their own cables. They often work by locking your charger into the charging pod which you can release with a unique key, therefore minimising theft. If needed, extension cables are available which are 10 meters long. We recommend you speak with your Local Dealer who’ll be able to give you the details of this accessory and its availability: http://ow.ly/gBcAP.
Many thanks and Happy New Year.
I have contacted my Toyota dealer today but they have no information of the longer charging cables.
Hi Vincent,
We’re sorry about the confusion here.
There is a 10m length cable available as an accessory from your local Dealer. The part number is G9060-47310, if you quote this to them they’ll be able to order this in for you.
We hope this helps.
Dear Amy, I have contacted my Toyota Dealer and I have been told that the part (G9060-47310) has been ‘frozen’ and cannot be ordered at this time.
Hi Vincent,
Thank you for raising this with us.
If you could please let us know your dealer you have been in touch with and your contact details totoyota.contact@tgb.toyota.co.uk, we will follow this up for you.
Apologies for the inconvenience you have had here.
Kind regards.
Hi.
I have had the plugin Prius since September 1 last year. My EV driving range has fallen to 8.7miles of range. This is after a full charge. This isn’t a one off. Its been that low for several weeks now.
Is there something wrong with the car? Should I get it checked?
Hi John,
Thanks for raising this with us and we hope you’re enjoying your new Prius Plug-in.
The EV range features a learning function that takes into account an adjustment based on electric mileage achieved from previous EV journeys. The system then utilises this information and remaining battery charge to calculate the EV driving range. Therefore, the range may increase or decrease depending on items such as driving patterns, driving style and driving conditions. The system will also anticipate an increase in energy consumption when the A/C is turned ON (both heating and cooling), and decreases the EV driving range by 10%. A number of other factors will also have an impact such as the cold climate and so the increased use of electrical accessories.
If you still have concerns regarding the EV range your dealer will be happy to take a look at the vehicle for you, their details can be found here: http://ow.ly/jZJkh.
We hope this helps. Have a lovely weekend.
Join the Club John. You’re not the only Plugin Prius driver who’s now experiencing this problem. I’ve had my PiP since July and my EV range has progressively dropped to ~8.5 miles. My “driving patterns, driving style and driving conditions” have *NOT* changed one iota on the same journey (twice weekly trips to the Gymn) so why the mileage drop. I’ve even been driving around [cold] without Heater to stop the petrol engine kicking in; but to no avail.
I’d love to know how the Shetlanders (https://mag.toyota.co.uk/prius-plug-in-shetland) are managing to get 14 miles in such a cold and hilly environment.
‘This’ is my fourth Prius and I feel very disappointed and let down by Toyota.
Best of luck John!
I should add that I am not getting that range out of the vehicle. Irrespective of the range indication on the computer, the actual amount of miles driven in EV range ends up being less.
i contacted my dealer who said that it was due to the ambient temperature and that I should have been told the ambient temperature caused reduced range when i purchased the car.
i was not told this.
PLUS the quote i got was that “the optimal operating temperature is 20 degrees…”(I can only assume he refers to centigrade)”…which is why the EV range is lower”
Given that the ambient temperature is no where near 20 degrees (or highly unlikely!) in the UK, I feel that I could easily argue the car “range figures” quoted are completely worthless for anyone based in the UK.
It would be good to get someone to explain to me directly how on earth this gets resolved.
8.7 miles EV range (and less sometimes), on a quoted range of 10-15miles car is very disappointing.
based on the other reply it would appear that i am not the only one who has this issue.
what other feedback have you had?
Ps, i have not altered my driving style from when first purchased the car. At that point i got 10.1 miles.
Hi John, it is clear we are all suffering from a reduced battery capacity in cold weather. The average in mine this winter has been just over 9 but the last couple of days has seen it nudge up to 10.3 The best way we have found to maximise the miles without the engine cutting in is to turn the heater fan off ASAP and city mode will stay on as long as you have the miles. We have only been doing very local short runs since the beginning of march and have been turning the fan off during this time. We have recorded 509 miles at an average on the computer of 147mpg which we are delighted with. Our overall average up to the end of Jan from last Aug when we got the car was 95.60mpg based on 2500 miles and included a holiday down in Windsor and back via the Cotswolds. Even this is far better than anything we got out of our other 3 Prius’s so overall we are very pleased. We are just looking forward to some warmer weather to push the capacity back up. We have a holiday in France this summer and will gladly share our experiences on our return.
Anne and John
Warrington
Dear all,
Since I posted a concern about the reducing displayed EV range in October, as winter approached, I have been watching my EV range with interest and others’ similar posts. I have maintained a suspicion that whilst the EV range was disappointing (9.7-10.5m), that perhaps the actual mileage driven whilst on EV was in fact greater. This was difficult to verify as I use EV at the start and end of journeys that are longer than the EV range itself. Winter necessity for heating and Air Con to clear screen on occasions confounded this suspicion.
Recently, I have been able to run complete journeys allowing EV to run-out naturally and note the mileage driven. These journeys to a local town and back to collect one of my 18yo sons includes up and downhill sections, fast up to 50mph sections and slower town driving. The EV ran out at 14.0 miles and meant the total journey mpg, was over 600. This should be an encouragement to others as it is for me. It is a shame that heating and A/Con do cause the engine to start when otherwise unnecessary also a shame that the overall ventilation/heating/screen clearing is inevitably poor when one tries to maximise and optimise the EV range in winter conditions. Maybe one has to accept this compromise, allow the engine to come on even during very short winter journeys and ‘trust’ that the overall mpg will not be affected too much. This is hard when you know you could otherwise drive numerous short journeys without the engine ever starting-up, if a little cold and having to peer through a misty screen blowing only cold air screen-wards. I wonder if any 2nd generation Prius Plug-ins will rectify these shortcomings in our temperate UK climate.
Mark R Oakley
Hi Mark, our experience exactly. The warmer weather is helping, our EV charge was up to 11.2 this morning. As you say it is the overall average which is key. We last put £20 fuel in on 22nd March and our overall average since is 158 according to the trip and we still have 2bars showing in the tank.
Anne