Plug-in Prius is Ready To Drive

Before his seven week journey in the Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid prototype, one might have called Auto Week writer Mark Vaughn a "skeptic of alternative fuel." After having the chance to tour 3,224 miles around Southern California in the Toyota Prius Plug-in, 387 of which were done on electricity, the skeptic lightened his tune.

According to Mark, "The first week, Nov. 8-12, it did more of the highly efficient commuter slogging for which it was designed. In that role I found that it almost invariably goes 12 miles per full electric charge before the gasoline engine kicks in and it becomes just another hybrid. Each of those full electric charges almost invariably adds almost exactly 3.5 kilowatt-hours to the battery pack."

"If you look at total mileage on the Prius up until that time, it ran on electricity alone 14% of the time. However, if you take out the 600-mile trip to the SEMA show in Las Vegas and back, during which it did not run on electricity at all, the total time on battery power was 19.25%."

Dependent upon driving habits, a Prius Plug-in driver may never need to purchase a drop of gasoline again. As Mark adds, "Now, if your drive to work is 12 miles and you can recharge at work and you never go anywhere else, you will never have to use gasoline again."

During the last week of his journey in the Prius Plug-in, Mark admits, "I went 500 miles on another long trip, almost all of which was completed using the gasoline engine alone, without the extra two battery packs that allow EV driving and that make this Prius a plug-in. On that journey I got 45.8 mpg, which was about 5 mpg better than the Vegas trip, my other gasoline-only haul."

Check out the Prius hybrid and upcoming Plug-in yourself at R & H Toyota - 15 Music Fair Road in Owings Mills, MD 21117

To read the full article about Mark's journey in the Prius Plug-in, visit Auto Week.