By Alex Nunez on June 1, 2011 in
It's like a regular Prius, only better. That, in a nutshell, sums up the Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid (aka Prius PHV). The example Toyota loaned us for a week is a prototype--the production version arrives next year and joins the growing Prius lineup. We requested the car because we were invited to the GE Energy headquarters in Plainville, CT for the opening of its new solar carport for EV charging. Since GE employees and visitors to the office would now have the ability to recharge electric vehicles during the day, we figured we might as well drive up in a car that could take advantage of the facility, too.
A row of satellite trucks was already lined up in the parking lot when we silently rolled in (the TV coverage was for Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy, who would address GE employees as part of the opening ceremony). Having seen an artistic rendering of the solar carport, we were familiar with what to look for, but the sheer size of the installation took us aback.
The GE Solar Carport
425 solar panels cover the carport's long, V-shaped roof, which shelters forty parking spaces and features six GE EV charging stations spaced along the parking area's center line. We weren't sure we'd be guaranteed a spot under the new carport (there are separate EV chargers for staff and visitors in the main parking lot as well), but when one of the event organizers saw that the Prius was a plug-in car, he happily told us to pull up to one of the open chargers in the solar facility. We wound up nose-to-nose with a Chevy Volt, one of several on hand (GE plans to buy a lot of them). A couple of Smart Fortwo Electric Drives (which I tested just a few weeks ago) were also stationed under the carport and plugged into chargers. We plugged in the Toyota, ensured the charging light was on and waited for the ceremony to begin.
GE Energy employees were already outside, checking out the various plug-in/electric vehicles on display. Given the nature of the cars on hand, it felt like an extremely nerdy cruise night. After Governor Malloy addressed the crowd, GE Energy Industrial Solutions CEO Luis Ramirez stepped up to the podium and gave us some additional info about the new facility. Over the course of a year, the amount of energy the facility produces would be enough to power 20 homes. On a daily basis, the carport's six Level 2 (220-volt) charging stations will be able to charge 13 vehicles. The solar panels also power the carport's overhead lighting, and excess energy generated by the installation will be returned to the grid.
One of the engineers we spoke to, who had worked on the development of GE's electric-car chargers, walked over to check out the Prius. He smiled as he took in the scene; there was a lot of enthusiasm on display from his colleagues, both for the high-tech cars on display and the facility that was feeding their batteries. "A lot of the things I work on, you don't really get to see people actively interact with," he said. "This," he added, motioning toward a charger that had several onlookers gathered around it, "is a really satisfying experience."
What about at home?
After the ceremony, we were able to ask Mr. Ramirez if this sort of solar setup was scalable for home use, and whether GE had plans to offer a full solution for consumers. The answer to the latter question was, no." GE has no plans to offer a full turnkey solar charging solution for the home. What Mr. Ramirez did allow, however, is that since home solar power solutions are readily available already, consumers could work with different contractors to help build something to that effect.
GE will offer one of the key components to any home electric-car charging setup when its new residential electric vehicle charger, the WattStation, becomes available to consumers later this year. Pricing hasn't been announced for the WattStation, but Mr. Ramirez did say that in addition to being available through electrical contractors, GE will be announcing major retail partners that will offer the device as well. As for installing one of its EV chargers in your home, Mr. Ramirez said that it's actually quite simple. Assuming your electrical system supports its addition, adding an EV charger is no different than adding another clothes dryer circuit. One of the other GE reps we spoke to was also quick to point out that the residential WattStation can be turned completely off when not in use, so there's no phantom power draw when you're not charging a vehicle.
The Plug-In Prius
And what about our high-tech ride? There's a lot to like. If you were to strip away the large decals running the length of the car's wheelbase, the Prius Plug-In Hybrid looks just like the current-generation "regular" Prius. The only tipoffs are the plug door on the driver's-side front fender and a brushed metallic strip spanning the rear liftgate. It's the same story inside. If not for the "Plug-In Hybrid" embroidery on the floormats and rear cargo area mat, everything you see is garden-variety Prius.
The difference is what's hidden under the rear cargo floor. The standard Prius's nickel-metal hydride battery is replaced with a higher-capacity lithim ion battery. You fully charge it by plugging the car in; we used the portable charging cable provided with the car and plugged it into a standard 110V outlet in our garage. We observed that a full charge takes three hours on 110. Using the Level 2 (220V) charging at the GE solar facility, it took around an hour and a half. Both those times are in line with Toyota's claims.
The fully-charged li-ion battery gives the Prius PHV something its regular sibling doesn't have: up to 13 or 14 miles of range on electric power. Note that this applies to regular local driving. The engine kicks in under heavy acceleration, high-speed cruising, and if you tackle any steep hills. But in basic grocery-getter duty, the Prius PHV indeed acts like a regular EV whenever it can, as long as the battery has enough juice. You find yourself looking forward to downhill sections where you can coast and watch the car's regenerative capabilities gradually increase your electric range a tenth of a mile at a time via the status displays on the instrument panel. As you might expect, the additional gas-free driving jacks up your fuel economy numbers. We put 178 miles on the Prius over the week and averaged an indicated 65 mpg.
Even if you zap your full electric range in one outing, the nice thing about the plug-in Prius's setup is that it doesn't take long at all to top the battery back off. We'd often run morning errands, come home, plug in, and leave later in the afternoon or evening again with a full charge. It was convenient, easy, and frankly, fun to see how much we could improve the overall fuel economy every day we set off with a full charge.
Boring but brilliant
As for how the Prius PHV is to drive, it's the same as the standard prius. Squishy, quiet, and pretty boring, just like pretty much every reviewer says. With this car, the excitement is in seeing the great fuel economy numbers you can put up, and the ability to charge relatively quickly without ever needing to install a higher-voltage charger in your home (though you certainly can if you wish).
This is a case where mundane equals marvelous. If pure fuel economy is the most important factor you consider when buying a car, the Prius has arguably been the best choice for several years now. This plug-in version expands on that successful formula brilliantly. It's just as easy to use, and if we had more time to live with it, we probably could have hit 70 mpg--without bending over backwards to do so, either.
Electric cars are great, but this plug-in formula is inherently more practical. This Prius could be your only car, and the monster fuel economy it puts up is easy to fall in love with. By swapping the battery and adding a plug, Toyota has made a great car even better.
Later this month, we'll spend a week with one of the Prius PHV's obvious competitors: the Chevy Volt. Stay tuned.