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July, 1998 Toyota Prius
Today I rode in the Toyota Prius. The
first and only Prius in the United States at this time. And only 300 miles on the odometer. A unique electric and internal combustion engine (ICE) hybrid. About 80 miles per gallon
and 680 miles per tank of gas, not counting battery range. Nickel Metal Hydride batteries, same as those in the Toyota RAV 4 EV, but 1/3 the number of batteries due to the Prius' ICE
engine. They fit nicely behind the rear seat.
It was pure serendipity that I encountered this car. Walking my dog, three blocks from my house, I noticed an unfamiliar form vehicle. Seeing
the Toyota emblem on the front, I walked around and sure enough, it said "Hybrid". I ran back to my house for a camera, then back to the car to take the pictures you see
here. Graciously, perhaps a bit suspiciously, a voice from across the street asked me "What's your interest in that car?". The man who accompanied the voice then generously
offered to take me for a spin provided I get rid of my dog. Not waiting for him to change his mind, I immediately turned my dog back to his run.
First thing I noticed was the right-hand
drive. Definitely from out of town, this car. It was was brought in on a special permit since it is not a zero emission vehicle (ZEV) and it still hadn't completed the EPA certification. Then I
noticed the center dash LCD. The mesmerizing graphical display, approximately 4 x 5 inches, is more like a computer screen (which it is) than a dashboard indicator. Animated arrows monitored the
power path from ICE, electric motor, and batteries. In Japan, the display doubles as a GPS direction finder, but this feature does not yet function in the US.
The ICE engine is mounted
transversely in front, under the hood. It turns on and off automatically, with no input from the driver, except perhaps from the accelerator's request for power. Regenerative braking is the
"noisiest" part of the ride, but not unpleasant at all, especially compared to ordinary cars. The ICE engine is perceptible, the hybrid is not as quiet as a pure electric vehicle, but
definitely not noisy either. Pick up was fair, despite the fact that the car was driven gently due to the break in period for the batteries. It did not have the feeling of being gutless.
Climate control is via a two way heat pump. Normal air conditioning and air conditioning in reverse. It wasn't needed due to the mild weather at the time, so I can't comment further on it.
Numerous technological advances have been incorporated into this car. Subtleties such as variable ICE compression that is instantaneously adjusted on acceleration to completely eliminate
shudder. Problems I hadn't even known were problems.
The car reportedly retails for about $16,500 US in Japan. Presumably much less than the cost of development. Demand is high,
production has had to double from 1000 cars per month earlier in the year to 2000 per month summer 1998. |
