A viable alternative to Clarity

Honda whiffed.

 

Anything under 50 EV miles gets a pass from me.

 

There’s little reason for a manufacturer to produce a PHEV that has more than 50 miles of EV range. Probably somewhere north of 95% of drivers have less than a 50 round trip commute. I believe the national average is less than 12 miles each way.

Sure, there are people who drive 85 miles each way. If they want to make that commute on batteries, they’re going to have to buy a BEV.

 

It is a beautiful car, one of the cleanest designs I've seen. The windshield rake is extreme like a supercar, not real practical for reflections and cleaning but probably justifiable for looks and low drag. The windshield should be easier to clean than our fixed rear window which always gives me some aches after making the contortions required for cleaning it.

And note they've finally switched to a lithium battery. No word on the status of Toyota's high tech "solid state" battery.

 

I don't know anything about the new Prius Prime in terms of cabin space, but other cars that are sporty and having a 'cock pit' feel give me claustrophobia. Having a roomy feel is actually a feature (and in my case a requirement).

For me, Clarity is such a perfect fit. I'm really glad I got one new while available new. I did not expect to still be excited to drive the car 4 years in, but I am.

To each their own...

 

If the national average is 12 miles each way the 37 miles of EV range in the 2023 Prius Prime won't be enough for most people in the winter when range drops by 30%. 70% of 37 is 25.9. So anybody that drives more than 12 miles to work will not make it on EV only. Then if you factor in picking up the kids at school, going to the gym, meetings at church, etc. I think over 50 miles of EV range is called for.

 

I wonder if I can sit up straight in the drivers seat. Looks like a "Volt slope" and I have to hunch down in that one.

 

You may be right.

Currently, PHEV’s are selling quite well and more models are being offered. Nearly every one has less than 50 miles of EV range. That isn’t likely to change. If it doesn’t work for your individual needs, then you’ll have to shop for another vehicle. Every vehicle is a compromise.

There are some mutant PHEV’s such as the BMW i3 Rex, which the addle-minded have taken to calling a “Range Extended BEV” that might fit the bill.

 

Yes, it is nice to have an alternative. For me, it's not really an alternative because my Clarity is our long range road tripping car, big, heavy, roomy, great ride. Our other 2 cars are EVs, but I won't pay the crazy prices you need to pay for a roomy road tripping EV with long range that charges super fast. When I go on road trips, I don't want to worry about charging.

This new Prius Prime looks just like a gen 2 Volt to me. I'll be very interested to see a silhouette comparison of the two! I really liked the gen 2 Volt, with the only issue being how tiny it was inside. I think this Prius Prime looks fantastic, very sporty. 0-60 in under 7 seconds!, in a Prius? Nice. For those people who are not ready to go full EV, I think this car will be great.

 

Toyota’s Pioneering Prius Hybrid Gets Redesigned, 0-100 KPH In 6 Seconds

 

The solar panel appears to be an option. Cost?
If they manage to squeeze a 200 watt panel on the roof, in might generate 1KWh on a sunny summer day.

If the car and battery are still made in Japan, it will not be eligible for the Fed Credit?

 

1 kWh provides roughly 4 miles of range. Seems like more of a gimmick than a valuable feature.

 

We don't have Prius prices yet and Toyota could be aggressive in setting the prices. It's been a long time since I bought car from the Big Three but I would take a look at the Escape Plug In which might be priced below the Prius. I would choose an SUV over a sedan any day. I've looked at the Rav4 but at $51k as I built it I can't afford one. The Escape might slot in with the right features and right price.

I wish Honda would rethink the Clarity and restart production. It is a great car which can still compete in side-by-side comparisons. I'd just keep the Clarity but I'm growing more and more concerned about supply chain issues with the car. If something breaks we read here on insideev cars can be out of commission for up to six weeks.

It looks like the Ford Escape Plug In qualifies for the full $7,500 tax credit.

 

I just priced out an Escape Plug In and it came to $45K. Again too much for my budget.

 

Something is better than nothing. Its a start.

 

A start toward what objective?

 

Price and release date — There’s no official pricing on the 2023 Prius Prime but projections hover around the $27,000 mark. The hybrid is expected to be released “later this year.”

https://www.inverse.com/gear/toyota-2023-prius-prime-redesign-price-release-date

 

I dropped both into a paint program and the similarity is very close.