Toyota Prius the Taxi champion
22 Jul, 2008
94 Comments 
To crush myths and rumours about the Prius’ lacklustre battery life and overall performance, Toyota’s marketing arm has shed light on a brilliant story about the rising number of Prius Taxis getting around.
Up in north Queensland a Cairns-based Toyota Prius taxi has recently clocked up 550,000 kilometres, the highest kilometres recorded for an Australia delivered Prius to date.
According to black and white taxis (the car’s owner), in the 3 years of service the Prius has cost half the fuel and maintenance outlay compared to other conventionally-powered taxis in the fleet.
So far there are 32 Prius taxis in Cairns with another eight already in order. Each Prius averages around 200,000km per annum.
“We’ve have had almost three years great service from it, we obviously track our costs very closely and our reports show the Prius consumes half the petrol of other vehicles in our fleet and also half the service costs – it is quite amazing.” Taxi operator Graham Boundy, who owns Black and White Taxis in Cairns, said.
What about the battery life you ask? How does a Prius manage after 550,000km on its original battery? Not that badly! The car in question had a battery that recorded a “low voltage reading” which led to its replacement at 500,000km, Toyota says another Prius taxi also had its battery replaced after 350,000km. These are the only two Prius cars in Australia to have had a battery replacement to date.
500,000km? 300,000km? Both big numbers, when an average Australian car only travels 15,000km/year. We do, however, have to question the affect of time on the battery as well. Something not considered in this case.
“When you consider that the average car in Australia travels approximately 15,000km per year, the 350,000km Prius has crammed over 23 years of average driving into a couple of years, and the 550,000km Prius has fitted in 36 years into three years, which is astonishing.” said Vic Johnston, Toyota’s manager of hybrid sales and fleet strategy.
Love it or hate it, the more familiar the general population become with hybrid cars, the more the demand increases. Toyota is currently having supply issues in overseas markets delivering an unprecedented number of Prius cars to customers.
“When you consider that the Prius taxis in Cairns are generating half the fuel and service costs of other vehicles in their fleets, the Prius is significantly cheaper in whole-of-life costs. That’s why the taxi fleets use them, and continue to order them – they are simply less expensive to run and maintain than conventional vehicles in their fleet.” Johnston said.
The Prius has also won the honour of the cheapest hybrid car to run according to the federal government’s Green Vehicle Guide. On average Prius owners should expect to pay no more than $990 in fuel each year.
Do hybrid taxis make sense to you?
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July 22nd, 2008 at 5:47 pm
Hyundai Lantra LPG Hybrid should be even better!
Vote:July 22nd, 2008 at 5:59 pm
great result for the Prius but this is comparing it to other petrol taxis.
Vote:It would be far more interesting to see it compared to the LPG taxis and see real world results comparing the alternatives to ‘normal’ petrol engines.
If ford and holden won’t offer us the latest LPG technology bring on the Hyundai LPG/hybid Elantra – the sooner the better!
July 22nd, 2008 at 6:00 pm
Certainly puts the kibosh on some of the earlier made-up stories about battery life, and this is only the introduction stage of the technology compared to conventional propulsion. Maybe the V8 heads will eventually have to get over themselves.
Vote:July 22nd, 2008 at 6:10 pm
Capt,
Vote:No it does not put the kibosh on the earlier FACTUAL battery failurs episodes. TIME is just as an important factor to battery life as use.
In fact continued cyclic use of a battery actually generally prolongs battery life, therefore one could deduce that the average 15,000 km/yr motorist will in fact suffer battery failures much earlier than this.
I don’t see this as any real world justification at all, unless you run a taxi. This cannot be extrapolated to general use.
July 22nd, 2008 at 6:30 pm
Notice that they did not state the price of the battery replacement.
I’d put money on Toyota doing them gratis, just so the cost wouldn’t muck up this unrealistic (for any use other than taxi) example.
Vote:July 22nd, 2008 at 7:09 pm
Bret you are clutching at straws. This isnt a AAA battery. Your logic essentially says that time being the biggest factor that a Prius with 10kms will require a battery change in the same time a Prius with 350,000kms requires one. But sorry the Taxis have been going for three years, the Prius has been in Aus for 7 years…. the only two replacements have been the Taxis. So cop it sweet for once instead of making excuses people.
Reckless the cars went to 300k and 500k respectively… a Faclon or Commodore has been rebuilt twice by then at a cost of $6k+. Clutching at straws.
Vote:July 22nd, 2008 at 7:12 pm
Firstly battery life is measured in months or years NOT kilometers!
Also the story implied the other non hybrid taxis in this fleet are running on PETROL??? seems LPG would be the best fuel for this purpose
And finally if the Hybrid vehicle had more room than the Prius, like a wagon or mini van/people mover AND was an LPG hybrid then that imaginary vehicle could make an excellent Taxi….BUT a Prius just has too many limitations for my liking.
Vote:July 22nd, 2008 at 7:32 pm
I might be wrong and i apologise if i am, BUT this web site is beginning to smell like a Toyota friendly/sponsored site????
Vote:July 22nd, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Yes Toyota sponsored… because they report on some facts re Prius. Yawn.
Vote:July 22nd, 2008 at 7:43 pm
Its not the WEBSITE, It is a TOYOTA ERA!!! Dont blame Toyota that the FORD and HOLDEN are usseless, and don’t have any positive news to report!!
Vote:July 22nd, 2008 at 7:46 pm
TP, the facts don’t bother ME but the FACT that you are gloating just makes me more suspicious!!!
I will be ignoring future Toyota stories if this continues, until as we have all seen others get sick and stop bothering!
Vote:July 22nd, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Thomas79……What’s so positive about a story comparing a PETROL hybrid taxi to PETROL taxi’s, it’s totally bias to leave LPG taxis out of this comparison because an LPG wagon would kill that little prius for leg room, power, luggage space and comfort!!!! and that wouldn’t suit this story.
Vote:July 22nd, 2008 at 8:14 pm
Prius taxi……….how many people can it carry safely? Woulldnt want 5 people and luggage in one of those things !!! Imagine trying to safely negotiate traffic or overtake with that loaded up…….. death trap !!!!!! I guess Toyota fans now think a taxi is a good thing after hangin shit on Falcons for being used as taxis for many many years…….hypocrits !!!!!! I would much rather get in a Falcon Taxi than a Prius …….at least i would feel safe and know I would get to my destination safely and in comfort.
Vote:July 22nd, 2008 at 8:15 pm
Another hybrid story and look at the sheep follow the lemmings over the cliff.
If I choose to own a petrol car and I can afford a petrol I will buy a petrol car. If you want a hybrid buy a hybrid.
Geez I can’t wait until I restore my 1971 XY 351 Falcon…….then black and white cabs can buy another dozen to offset my carbon footprint!!
Vote:July 22nd, 2008 at 8:35 pm
I’m the first to kick TP when he spouts Toyota PR but this time he’s actually right. Prius has been on the market for about 10 years, Civic Hybrid for a bit less, but these high-km taxis are the first battery expiries I’ve heard of. And when they do die, they get recycled in France and the replacements aren’t much more expensive than a cambelt change.
Vote:Get over it guys.
July 22nd, 2008 at 8:37 pm
Sounds like a very good rap for the Prius, sounds a bit too good though.
I will believe it when I see most if not ALL city taxis being a Prius or similar.
Look business is business, you cannot afford to ignore a 50% saving in fuel running costs and much cheaper in whole-of-life costs.
if true, any taxi fleet would be bonkers to ignore it and still drive Falcons.
Vote:July 22nd, 2008 at 8:57 pm
TP, a Falcon Taxi has not been rebuilt twice in 500,000kms. Infact the bottom end of a Falcon Taxi will never be rebuilt for its entire taxi life. Most Taxi’s diffs are replaced at about 700-800K. Plus a replacement battery for a Prius is $8000 plus labour.
And how the hell is a Prius cheaper to service than a Falcon, Commodore or even an Aurion, I bet its not a simple service.
Vote:July 22nd, 2008 at 9:10 pm
Carl Says:
\”Thomas79……What’s so positive about a story comparing a PETROL hybrid taxi to PETROL taxi’s\”
But thats not what this story is about? Is it!!
Car 1 Says:
\”Prius taxi……….how many people can it carry safely? Woulldnt want 5 people and luggage in one of those things !\”
One the rare occasion, that the taxi will actually carry the 5 people, it will get them to point B just as well as a falcadore!
Vote:July 22nd, 2008 at 9:17 pm
Those batteries lose 20% of their initial capacity per year, same as a laptop battery. What ever the mAh one year is, the next year it will be reduced by 20% the next. It doesnt matter how many cycles the battery has gone through, in fact the more cycles the better. Its temperature and time that are the main factors and level of charge. All this means, a battery that has been kept charged for 1 year will still have the same output as a battery that has done 500 cycles in one year.
Vote:July 22nd, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Tomas79……the comparison to PETROL taxi’s was certainly part of the story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The other part was just as floored because it used kilometers travelled to test battery life when clearly age is the MOST important factor in battery life! Surely you understand that batteries last longer the more they charged and dis charged therefore batteries in a taxi will always last longer than batteries in a car that is used only once a month!
Vote:July 22nd, 2008 at 9:22 pm
This story was floored in so many ways it was almost childish.
Vote:July 22nd, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Interesting to see the results say in melbournes cold weather Cains is nice and warm even in winter stand to be corrected from memory batteries like warmer weather!!
laurie
Vote:July 22nd, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Hi folks – Go to Vancouver, Canada (Yes Tony I’ve been there skiing you see) ther are plenty of Prius Cabs about, I’d imagine there are some with similar mileages, probably with good and bad history. You cannot just take one cab in Queensland as being an indicative example.
I agree with Brets comments about battery life and continual usage. All batteries have a shelf life. So the nickel from the batteries gets dug up in Eastern Canada, transported to Japan to be made into batteries, at the end of their life shipped to france from all over the world to be recyled. Hardly sustainable really.
Good effort Prius for longevity, you cannot knock it. As for the green credentials they are a farce as far as I am concerned.
Vote:July 22nd, 2008 at 9:50 pm
totally “floored”.
ask TP,
Taxi’s have a much easier life.
he know all about that, just ask him.
ha ha ha ha ha dont you love putting the shoe on the other foot????
once again seems weird to compare it to a petrol falcon rather than the heavily used LPG falcon Taxis
toyota dont lie in their stories, but they dont tell the full story either.
the prius fuel costs should be compared to the LPG falcon that taxi fleets use. not a petrol version.
Go and falsely claim another rally win toyota while you are at it
what are the service intervals for a prius??
Vote:July 22nd, 2008 at 11:46 pm
AndrewM I dont expect you to get your head around it… Taxis do have an easier life in terms of engine wear. Battery life is a whole different can of worms.
Vote:July 22nd, 2008 at 11:51 pm
Minnow Says: “Those batteries lose 20% of their initial capacity per year”
July 22nd, 2008 at 9:17 pm
Do you have a source?
I have read some research into Lithium ion batteries, and in optimum conditions (if I recall correctly, around 50% charge, low temperature) they lose only a few % charge per year. This is the loss purely due to the time effect, and not through use.
You are also wrong about the more cycles the better. They will lose a small amount of capacity per cycle and to prolong life it is optimal to not fully cycle the battery but to keep topping the battery up and keeping the charge around 50-80%.
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 1:25 am
I do remember reading an article in cars magazine that the batteries are only at their peak for 2 to 3 years then performance starts a downward slide. How fast I do not know but if it anything like normal acid lead, NMHi, alkaline batteries we see in day to day life then its quite rapid.
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 1:28 am
Battery life theory is fine, but all you need to know is that Toyota guarantees the battery (and all other hybrid drive components) will last 8 years or 100,000 thousand miles (US except CA), or 10 years 150,000 miles (California) or they replace it free. Cost figures that I’ve seen lately around $3000 US. That tells you all you need to know.
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 3:43 am
Have you Australians never heard of Diesel??? In Europe 99,9% of all taxis are diesel powered. And they beat the crap out of a cramped Toyota hybrid…
Vote:LPG is out due to limeted range and that the pressure tank limits bagage space.
However, a diesel hybrid could be a winner in the taxi business….
July 23rd, 2008 at 7:31 am
The Prius DOES cost less to service than a normal car.
There is a total of just 22 moving parts in its drivetrain– No heat-generating torque converter, no clutch, no CVT belts. The single-gearset Power Split Device transmission experiences no gear-shifting wear-and-tear a normal car does. Transmission fluid change every 60,000 miles.
The Prius uses regenerative braking. You don’t need to change its brake pads or rotors until 100,000 miles. Try that in a normal car and see what happens. :-P
The Prius has no timing belt, no alternator, and no starter solenoid. Less things to wear out and need replacement. (the engine is electronically controlled and can be started or shut off on-the-fly, while the car is moving).
As aforementioned the battery is designed to last at least 10 years / 150,000 miles, and who would be STUPID enough to buy a brand-new battery to put in a 10-year-old car? You look for a salvaged battery that costs about $400 from a wrecked car, put that in your 10-year-old Prius, drive it for a few years more, and get a new car.
Buying a brand-new $3000 Traction battery for a 10-year-old car is just as foolish as buying a brand-new engine to put in an old klunker.
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 8:31 am
well said Mr.quincy
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 8:38 am
My mates dad(he drives 40000km a year) had Prius on lease and it had replacement batteries after two years.
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 9:07 am
My friend’s father’s barber’s sister’s hairdresser’s mother had a Prius that exploded after just 100 miles. Ha.
These “my friend’s whatevers” rumors have little credibility. Sorry.
The fact remains that here in the U.S. where I am, there has been virtually NO in-warranty failures of the second-generation Prius (2004-current) battery. There were some first-generation Prius (2001-2003) warranty battery replacements, but the first-gen battery is a different animal– Higher voltage, higher number of cells, older architecture.
Keep in mind that if you tamper with the battery or otherwise abuse it such as putting it through repeated deep-discharge cycles (by running out of gas to completely run the battery down), it will void the 8-year / 100,000-mile warranty. Don’t abuse the car in those manners, and it should last pretty much the lifetime of the car.
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 9:38 am
“realdaewoo” the first to hijack another toyota success story! where are the holden and ford success story’s. i am waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 10:02 am
I know of another prius with dead batteries.
Vote:It is currently for sale on carsales.com.
admittedly it s the earlier model, but it does have low km’s
July 23rd, 2008 at 10:39 am
Quincy
it has a petrol engine yes?
it has 4 wheels and Brakes Yes?
It has a transmission Yes?
So how do u determine it takes less time to service?
Is it so green that the engine oil doesnt need replacing?
The oil filter gets cleaned by the green fairy so u dont need to replace that either?
Come on do what I just did – ring a Toyota dealer and ASK what they charge – Guess what its about the same as any other car. And the time Toyota recomend to do the services – again the same as most overs – about 1 hour for a minor service
Vote:Do some research and stop bleating out the same old advertising lines
OHH and on top of that Toyota say 6 month or 10000km which ever occrs first so the service costs are nearly double that of most of the other manufatures as they are 12months 15 or 20000km
July 23rd, 2008 at 10:51 am
OWAF, Camaro development in Australia and VE going around the world are success stories for Holden. Is that the sort of thing you mean?
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 11:12 am
What the?
A Prius does 550,000kms?
That’s their claim to fame? My old neighbours VN Commodore did 700,000kms+ on the original engine and trans.
Whoopy doo.
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Why not get a BMW M3 V8 – It gets better fuel economy (see Top Gear season 11 episode 1). Try putting 3 beefy aussie blokes in the back – you’d need the jaws of life to get them out again!!!
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Ignoring all the battery talk, if there\’s one thing I like about the Cairns fleet of taxis is that they\’re not falling to bits like the equivalent Falcons in Sydney.
After a few hundred thousand kilomtres, the taxis I had the pleasure of riding in still felt like new!
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 12:57 pm
hmmmm… and people thought the Y2K bug was a scam….
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 1:10 pm
ghisgt what cr*p! you did mean 70,000km and how many coil packs did they replace 700,000. oh thats right!
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 1:13 pm
panelcopy you sound like an expert on serviceing everything! my mate is looking for a good mechanic want a job! with your knowledge he could charge you out at $500 an hour! w**ker!
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Stevo – I saw that test! However as a taxi with alot of start, stops and traffic halts, the Prius will still be considerably more economical.
Travelling at constant speeds just like the TopGear test diminishes the Prius’s hybrid advantage considerably.
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 1:38 pm
panelcopy:
Have you read nothing on what I wrote about the Prius’s mechanicals?
When you use regenerative braking, the 3-phase AC induction traction motor is used as a generator to slow down the car. Mechanical brake pads DO NOT ENGAGE until 7mph or less. That’s why the Prius brake pads and rotors do not require servicing until 100,000 miles. Like I said, try that in a normal car and see what happens.
Read what I wrote about the Prius transmission again. 22 moving parts. No gear-shifting. No torque converter. No clutch. Typical 4-speed automatic transmission has about 100 moving parts with a Torque Converter (fluid coupling) that typically operates at 200+ degrees Fahrenheit. You do the math on the reliability and servicing requirements.
The gasoline engine in the Prius is NOT running all the time, even when the car’s moving– it can be started and shut down in response to power demand, controlled by the computer. That means it experiences less wear-and-tear than a normal car which MUST have its engine run ALL THE TIME while the car is in motion. And you can take the Prius to any mechanic for an oil and filter change.
I like the Prius because of its lower maintenance compared to a normal car. The fuel economy is actually a nice side benefit.
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Quincy,
What advertising BS are you quoting from? All you did was to quote the electric side of the drivetrain.
The Prius has a petrol engine – it has timing belts, and in fact as many moving parts as any other petrol engine.
I’d like to see you engage/disengage the drivetrain to engine interface without some kind of cluth / torque converter / CVT etc.
TP – your understanding of battery technology is as deep as the toyota brochure!
Also, if you think that in everyday driving (no not a taxi) a Falcon won’t do well over 300,000 km without ANY non-routine service/repairs then you are a truly niave.
And lets not forget that in this comparison the “conventional” taxis are probably full size cars VS the (internally) small sized Prius. Put a similarly sized i30 on the fleet and come back to us.
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 1:45 pm
6 weeks ago, JD Powers published thier 2008 UK Quality / Customer Satisfaction survey and the Prius comfortably ranked No.1 from a selection of over 100 models. The Prius tallied a huge 910 / 1000 pts and was ranked the least troublesome vehicle to operate.
In the US, the Prius shares a similar reputation and commonly renouned for travelling in excess of 300 000km’s with no attention bar scheduled / regular servicing. In Australia, the Prius has a minicule battery replacement of about .05%
Bascically – virtually nothing.
In comparison, only weeks ago – GM recalled thousands of thier hybrids due to leaking batteries resulting in a complete hybrid system shut down hence only the petrol engine operable. Despite many wacky and wayward claims that irregularly contain any truth, Toyota / Lexus hybrid systems including batteries have proven ultra-reliable and durable.
Toyota’s proven track record around the world speaks for itself.
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 1:50 pm
MG, lithium ion batteries do lose 20% per year at 25 degrees, which is probably the average temperature a prius battery is maintained at. Apple says it does with its laptop batteries (made by sony) and i’ve read many other sources as well but apple is the most credible source to cite. And If its frozen then you’ll lose about 6%. There is a difference between nickel cadmium and lithium ion battery charging and cycling methods. I mixed up lithium ion with nickel cadmium that is used in the prius. Yes with lithium ion, for optimum lifespan, keep charged at around 50-80%. With nickel cadmium cycling actually increases capacity as not using them reduces their capacity. Nickel cadmium also loses 20% of its charge per month if not used therefore have to be cycled regularly. Very different batteries. For this reason i think nickel cadmium batteries are going to stay around in hybrids for a while yet. And yes MG your right in regards to lithium ion.
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Robbo, the Prius is purposely designed as a urban transporter and excels when used accordingly. The Hybrid Camry and even Hybrid Lexus’s are cruisers, not the Prius.
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 2:02 pm
For all those trying to fabricate excuses against battery life in the Prius wether it be warm or cold weather, small or larger amounts of KM’s – the Prius is used all over Australia in all conditions and the fact that in the past 10 years only approx .05% batteries have been replaced says it all, comes in no greater prove. Argue defensively until the cows come home if you want but the .05% replacement from several thousand Prius’s over the past 10 years doesn’t change.
Some added and valued research from some of you will assist greatly in discovering the factual truths about the reliablity, dependability and durability of the batteries used in the Prius (or any other hybrid from Toyota / Lexus for that matter) instead of passing comments for the hell of it and nothing more.
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Maybe taxi drivers are JUST ahead of their time??? We all know they have been conserving water, soap and deodorant for many years now, So using hybrids in their fleets seems to be a natural progression!!!
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 3:01 pm
I’m not a hybrid fan normally. But this is good news for Toyota. Well done!
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 3:03 pm
My opinion is I HATE battery operated TOY-YODA hence the manufacturers name, if I needed a battery powered vehicle I would venture out to my Toy’s and Hobbie center, there are so many wannabe greenies, thinking Priass is the answer but in reality its merely an option for conservative stop go metro drivers in mind, not genuine enthusiasts..
“FORD FALCON LPG FOR ME” !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 3:12 pm
so your a genuine enthusiast “ac cobra” and i am brad pitt! what a genuine wa*nker!
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 3:17 pm
ac cobra i want a lpg falcon s**t box as well we all need these to save the world dont we!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 4:26 pm
Bret:
Obviously you know nothing about how the Prius works.
Go ahead, open the hood of any Prius and I DEFY you to find a timing belt, alternator or solenoid. YOU WON’T.
Face it, there are cars out there that works differently than what you know, and rather than dismiss it as “advertising,” how about actually learning about it for a change?
As I said, the Prius transmission has NO torque converter, no clutch or CVT belts. It uses a Power Split Device which has NONE of those things. http://eahart.com/prius/psd/
Don’t understand it? Then don’t talk smack about it. It just shows how little you know.
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 4:40 pm
The petrol engine is identical to the 10 litres per 100Ks city cycle (real world consumpion not bullshit Toyota claim) in the Yaris my wife owned!!!! Trust me it NEEDS servicing!!
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 4:47 pm
All petrol engines need servicing, and the one in the Prius only requires an oil and filter change AT ANY MECHANIC (you don’t have to go to a Toyota dealer) every 5000 miles if you are using regular oil. 15,000 miles if you use synthetic.
The lower servicing requirements of the Prius stems from the fact that it has a far simpler transmission than a normal car that only needs one fluid change per 90,000kms, the use of regenerative braking (brake pad change at 160,000kms), and the absence of certain wear components such a timing belt, alternator or solenoid. Those are the facts.
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 5:00 pm
All good and well……there is no doubt in my mind that the hybrid/electric part of the Prius drive train works very well and is very smart certainly smarter than the Honda system! BUT where Toyota got LAZY was not to develop a properly economical internal combustion engine with a fuel consumption worthy of a hybrid!
That VVT or or as i’ve come to refer to it as “very very thirsty” Yaris engine is what i hate about Toyota and it’s bullshit fuel consumption claims cos i had to live with it for a year until we woke up and got rid of it and on to LPG!
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 5:04 pm
Who says you can only buy a Prius if you want a car with the Power Split Device drivetrain?
The Nissan Altima Hybrid uses a Nissan engine mated with the same Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive as the Prius.
The Ford Escape Hybrid also uses a PSD transmission and is a very tough car– New York City has been using the Escape Hybrid since 2004 as taxi cabs with absolutely no problems whatsoever. It’s working so well, New York City is moving to an all-hybrid taxi fleet by 2012.
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 5:23 pm
The Prius engine / hybrid system was recently named the 2008 World Green Engine Of The Year, did you forget that Carl ??
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Hey Flea bag, dingo or what ever you go by today……that 1.5 petrol engine is a peace of shit and i will say till i die coz i owned one and i was miss led by Toyota not you!! So deal with it coz you or your Toyota mates won’t shut me up EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 5:43 pm
Hey Dingo/GO Pruis!!……at least have the guts to use just one name on your blogs…..stop cowardly hiding behind different names to try and make Toyota bullshit sound popular or truthful.
If Toyota doesn’t people like me criticizing them then they should be more honest about how pathetically thirsty their petrol engines are!
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Go Prius Carl wouldnt know about that award because his head is so far up is ar*e the sun doesnt shine.
Lets just accept the fact that a Prius IS fuel efficient, has the LEAST emmissions and has batteries with a LONG life.
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Carl, the market is only true judge of all, nothing is greater !
That said, how is Toyota performing on the global market compared to Ford Motor Co and General Motors … say no more !
TRUTH : the Prius engine / hybrid system was rated the 2008 World Green Engine Of The Year
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 7:49 pm
TP – did you see that the VE Commodore was announced as the thirstiest and most polluting of the large cars in Australia !
A far cry from the Prius.
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 8:23 pm
That award was pathetic as they only considered hybrids as green engine awardable. The judges seem to be very short sited when it comes to considering others. Yes there are other hybrid engines but as most of the judges are European where there is a distinct lack of hybids then they will only consider the farcical Prius.
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 8:58 pm
The Prius engine / hybrid system was rated the 2008 World Green Engine Of The Year !
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 9:01 pm
A mickey mouse awards won’t sway me to consider the Prius in it’s current form……my standards are a lot higher than this Prius and just because a lot of people buy Toyota’s NOW doesn’t make them good, in fact these Thailand Toyota’s that are being churned out like fridges or washing machines will very soon have their days counted!
it’s much harder to stay No1 than it was for Toyota to get there and companies from Korea, China and maybe even India will eventually catch and crush Toyota (IF) Toyota continues to get LAZY and churn out their pathetic and soulless white goods!!!!!!!
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 9:02 pm
TP,
batteries arent a different kettle of fish.
a battery that constantly has fresh charge running through it, will last longer.
how many grannys that have sunday drivers constantly get flat batteries? a lot more than those that turn the car over every day.
a battery should be cranked every couple of days to ensure a better life for it
if a battery sits, it loses charge and life.
it is even the same with cordless power tools.
Vote:if they are cycling properly as opposed to sitting for months at a time, they will hold full charge for a lot longer life
July 23rd, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Go Prius,
Vote:did you see that the thirstiest vehicle is actually a toyota??
July 23rd, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Dingo/TP….That Mickey mouse award is almost as Floored as you are!
Your pathetic monogamy with Toyota proves you have no palette for fine motor cars and only people that get aroused by fridges would consider only owning Toyota’s when there are so many great and exiting motor vehicles out there!
I bet you nurse a semi every you open the door of your wide body Camry, don’t you???
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 9:13 pm
^^^^^^meant to write…every time you open the door^^^^^
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 9:18 pm
Aaww Carl – the floored bit doesn;t seem to get notices. Trying to educate Pork youo see. You can take a horse to water but a pencil must be lead.
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Haha No Name, yes either that or they are locked in their bedrooms with a Prius brochure!!LOL
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 10:20 pm
Carl, flawed not floored !
* Holden owned WHEELS awards – prestiage
* Every other award – Mickey Mouse
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 10:27 pm
Yes Carl you have a fine taste for motor cars…FORDS. ROFL.
Aurion : Sold Worldwise
Falcon : Australia
Aurion cheapest large car to run.
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 10:43 pm
Dingo…..everyone has typo’s! even you aren’t perfect so if that is all you have to come back with then you’d better go back to your room with that Prius brochure…..or are the pages all stuck together already????
TP….Ford has some more exciting cars than your Camry but i’ve owned many different makes of car in the past and hopefully will try even more different brands in the future unlike you Toyota TOOLS!
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 10:47 pm
I was totally FLOORED by Dingo’s FLAWED survey!!! Are you happy now MATE!
Vote:July 23rd, 2008 at 11:18 pm
TP – Aurion sold “wolrdwise” do you really mean “World Wide”. If that the case you’re wrong old bean. The Aurion would be too expensive compared to say a BMW 3series here in the motherland. So gladly its not sold here.
Vote:July 24th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
Prius Taxis have an easier life,
Vote:Just ask TP…….
July 28th, 2008 at 12:14 am
Pretty amazing to see how misinformed and ignorant of facts many Australians are on hybrid technologies in general, and the Prius in particular. The market, however, is working perfectly fine, as evidenced by the price of Toyota stock compared to, say… Ford or GM.
Vote:July 28th, 2008 at 2:00 am
Two things. First, the Prius insures long life of the battery by the computer insuring the battery never drops below 40% of it’s capacity and is never charged more than 80% of it’s battery. In real life this means when you have 2 purple bars (the lowest the battery will go before the engine kicks in) you’re still at 40% capacity. When “fully” charged (all green bars), you’re only at 80%. This is done to insure the longest life possible out of the battery. A laptop or other device using similar battery technology does not due this. If it did, it would probably last the life of the laptop.
Second, although the engine is similar to the Yaris engine (as stated), the Prius version is much much different. For example, it is based on the Atkinson cycle instead of the traditional Otto cycle like 99% of the engines on the road today (including the Yaris).
The Atkinson cycle is more efficient than the Otto cycle. The reason the Atkinson cycle isn’t used more is because the bi-product of this efficiency is lower torque. Well, with the Prius, torque isn’t a problem because it has an electric motor to get you off the line… so Atkinson works well.
Vote:July 28th, 2008 at 8:38 am
Fords and Holdens are piece of cr!p! wouldnt touch em with a 10 feet barge pole! Go Honda, Toyota and all the Japanese quality cars!
Vote:July 28th, 2008 at 11:51 am
Toyoda Priass are piece of cr!p! wouldn’t touch em with a 10 feet barge pole! All Toyleta’s are pieces of CR@P, Ford are better
Go Ford !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vote:July 28th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Go Ford!!! and there goes to Ford and GM share prices as well! lol down the gutter!
LOL
Vote:July 28th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
if Ford and Holden are so good, why didnt they think of hybrid cars in the first place, cause they are such dumbasses who kept on building dinosaur fuel surpling crap for all you morons to keep buying crap!
Vote:July 29th, 2008 at 2:09 am
Comments that the Prius battery is time rather than distance limited are easily dismissed by looking at the 10 years of road experience that have accumulated to date: the failure rates on the first generation Prius are 1/10th of typical transmission failures in regular cars, and repair costs are similar if a lightly used battery is purchased.
I own a Prius since 2004, and have always thought that the inverter might be the car’s achille’s heel, but thankfully I have been proven wrong.
Awesome car.
Vote:October 19th, 2008 at 7:54 am
Hi guys,
I have read over some of the comments here, and it seems that this is mostly an Australian chat. But, since it is being chatted about a car that is found in large numbers where I am from, I thought I’d comment as well. Here is Canada there are really quite a few Prius cabs in use with no real complaints about them, even though our winters can get pretty crazy. I have also ordered a 2009 Prius after much research and consideration. I will receive it on 1st og June next year. From all the research I have done, including test driving one, I concluded that it is a very reliable car, cheap on gas, and fun to drive. It may not be a racer car, but it is as powerful as any mid-size car. And most important, I will feel good about protecting the environment to a degree. Also, I must say, it is surprising to see some really negative attitudes thoward the environment by some Ausies. Very American-like attitude, which is unfortunate! :(
Cheers.
Vote:November 12th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Laughing at this….
Vote:Why do people hate the Prius so much? It is well engineered, good small car. Toyota have never said it is a cheaper alternative to a Corolla etc, just less polluting in cities. If you like the Prius – buy it and enjoy it – if you don’t like it – don’t buy it.
My experience with Falcons – 3 head gasket replacements in 5 years. Replaced the air con compressor, replaced a starter motor, new transmission last year. Car has done 120 000kms. Car has been serviced by the book.Bought it with 30 000kms on it at 2 yrs old.
Taxi fleet in Cairns is generally Camry and Falcons. Gas is not the answer up there due to price.
Yes I have heard of diesels – not good in cities due to high levels of particulates (even with filters) – look at any VW accelerating hard….
Crash safety? Prius is a 5 star ANCAP rated car – Falcons from 2004 are not. Only now does the Falcon have a 5 star rating.
No I don’t own a Prius, yes I think they are a good effort, no they aren’t the answer to every problem….a little balance is needed.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
Why are Ford and GM share prices so low these days? why are they losing billions? Why do they need billions to bail them out? I suspect it is not because they make such fantastic cars……if they did – more people would buy them, and they would be running at a good profit.
Vote:GM looks like running out of cash by year end…..Toyota doesn’t – better make my next car a Toyota I guess?
February 2nd, 2009 at 10:19 am
I’m on my second Prius as a family car (upgraded to gen 2), and it’s the best highway vehicle I’ve had. Fits the family comfortably (including dogs), takes our luggage and then some, gets Canberra to Brisbane on a tank and a quarter cruising at 120, and is more than happy on rough bush tracks. I will never have another Commodore or Falcon again.
I’d still prefer to be closer to totally electric, so hurry up Holden, and bring on the Volt!
The only battery explosion I’ve heard of was the guy from the performance car mag who tried to fast charge a pack he’d pulled out of a Prius, and burnt down his workshop- I don’t think Toyota or any other manufacturer can cover for idjits!
And BTW sceptics, the overall running costs have been far less than my last Crummodore and our work fowl-con.
Vote:March 4th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
Ah, forgot to say… As much as Prius has been good, it is not suitable for my current country use, too low to the ground and hwy consumption. My next car is going to be the VW Tiguan Diesel, has 4X4, much better ground clearance (Which I do need) and better consumption on the hwy than Prius. But I am going to miss all the Prius Itech toys.
Vote:April 25th, 2009 at 9:05 pm
Gday
Vote:I’m a small business nwner and bought a 2001 NHW11 Prius in Oct.001. The car has now April 2009 245.000 Km on the clock
and it still performs like new. It is driven intraste and interstate some days more than 1000 Km per day and no hick up has been encountered. As far as the main battery is concerned there is not any wear noticeable, the monitor however shows that charging will take place approximately between half full and three quarter full charge, I simply have not been able to run the battery down to even one third full. At this rate I’ll expect the battery to last at least 20 years and perhaps a million Km. At the moment I can not see into the future but also can not fault the
performance of this battery.Perhaps regular servicing also has something do do with this( at every 10.000 Km ). On average this car is driven between 30 – 40.000 Km per year.