Toyota premieres 5th-generation Prius plug-in
Toyota launched the global world premiere of its fifth-generation Prius from Japan this morning. The famed plug-in hybrid sees a new exterior design and will deliver a decent boost to its electric range compared to its previous generation.
The Toyota Prius has been in production for over two decades and holds its spot in automotive history as the first mass produced hybrid electric vehicle in the world. It has been sold as a plug-in hybrid EV since 2012, which was followed by the Toyota Prius Prime first introduced in 2016.
The Prime offered an all-electric EPA range of 25 miles, over twice the range of the first generation model. With today’s announcement of Toyota’s next generation of plug-in hybrid, the Prius can deliver even more all-electric range alongside a more aerodynamic design. Have a look.
New Toyota Prius sees most substantial redesign in years
Toyota shared details of the new Prius via a press release following its global premiere event (seen below). The vehicle features a new plug-in hybrid system complete with a more powerful motor (and engine).
The body of the new Prius has been “aerodynamically streamlined” for better fuel efficiency, handling, and stability. Its second-generation GA-C platform features less weight, increased rigidity, and a lower center of gravity as well.
According to Toyota, the target of this new Prius was to enable drivers to complete a majority of their daily commutes in EV mode, which provides 50% more range than the previous generation (~36 miles vs. 25 miles). This added range comes from the Prius’ new 13.6 kWh lithium-ion battery, integrated with more energy dense cells installed under the rear seat.
Following the debut in Japan, the fifth-generation Toyota Prius will be in display at Automobility LA. Its European premiere will take place on December 5 ahead of sales in the spring of 2023 in the plug-in version only. Check out the world premiere video below.
Electrek’s Take
While the Prius cannot be forgotten for its role in the automotive market as a once-dominant segue into all-electric vehicles, Toyota’s profound emphasis on this latest generation PHEV as a design feat to be celebrated completely undermines its lack of dedication to the BEV industry that is speeding forward without it.
The added all-electric range is nice and all, don’t get me wrong. The new Prius could serve as an excellent affordable commuter car for those consumers who may not exhaust all of their 13.6 kW battery to and from work each day. In that sense it’s good, but this is still a vehicle equipped with a combustion engine that releases carbon emissions. So it’s a non-starter for me.
I can’t help but feel as if I’m sharing news of a brand new DVD player in the age of streaming. Plug-ins are certainly better than traditional combustion vehicles and plain old hybrids, but we’ve already seen BEV models in the $40,000s with several more on the horizon pushing $30k. At that price point, why bother with a Prius?
Perhaps it could serve as a stopgap before your next BEV, especially with such high wait times due to exorbitant demand. We can never knock the Prius for what it helped start for electric vehicles, but its time in the sun sure appears to be fleeting, so forgive me if I’m not as eager to put Toyota up on my shoulders as a champion for delivering yet another hybrid, even if it is a plug-in.
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Hyundai is about to launch a new electric SUV in China. With its big debut coming up, Hyundai just dropped a sneak peek, and it looks like it could be the IONIQ 4. Check it out for yourself in the video below.
Is Hyundai teasing the IONIQ 4?
We caught our first glimpse of the new EV model last month after Beijing Hyundai released a few official “spy” photos.
Despite the camouflage, you can see a few design elements, like a light bar across the front, slim LED headlights, and a closed-off grille. At first, it almost looks like a smaller version of the IONIQ 9, Hyundai’s first three-row electric SUV, but with a much sportier, shaped profile.
Beijing Hyundai released a new teaser for the upcoming electric SUV this week. The video shows “a wave of high-end operations” as the vehicle dances across the snow.
The video highlights features like real-time torque control, high-speed cornering, and the SUV’s impressive body control while driving around cones.
Hyundai’s new electric SUV is being called “OE” internally, according to The Korean Car Blog, suggesting it could be an IONIQ model.
All other Hyundai IONIQ EV models were also codenamed with an “E” internally, which is raising speculation that this could be the IONIQ 4.
Like most global OEMs, Hyundai is fighting to compete in an intense Chinese EV market, which is dominated by domestic automakers like BYD.
Hyundai opened its first overseas R&D center last year in China to spearhead its comeback. It will work with local suppliers and tech companies to develop EVs designed for Chinese buyers. The new electric SUV is expected to launch in China later this year, followed by three new energy vehicles, including EVs and EREVs.
Beijing Hyundai will release more information on April 16, with the electric SUV set to “challenge the limit of driving performance.”
What do you think of Hyundai’s new electric SUV? Is this the IONIQ 4? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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Charge point provider char.gy has secured a £130 million contract to install 6,000 curbside EV chargers for Brighton and Hove City Council (BHCC) – the UK’s largest installation of its kind.
London-based char.gy has also been awarded a 15-year contract to operate and maintain the charging network.
Installing Level 2 chargers curbside, where most drivers in the UK park, will enable more people to take advantage of cheaper charging rates while juicing up their EVs overnight. (charg.gy’s pay as you go night tariff, between midnight and 7 am, is £0.39/kWh, compared to its £0.59/kWh day tariff.)
John Lewis, chief executive of char.gy, said the project is “a huge moment for the UK and its EV ambitions. This partnership alone will empower thousands of residents to confidently make the switch to electric vehicles, knowing they have easy access to chargers.”
Brighton and Hove City Council is among the first to tap into the government’s Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund, designed to help English local authorities roll out charging solutions for residents without off-street parking. Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood said making EV charging as accessible as possible is “crucial to making the switch to electric a success.”
The UK now has over 75,000 public EV chargers, according to the Department for Transport—and it looks like the country’s on pace to hit its 2030 target. Back in December, the National Audit Office said the rollout is “on track” to meet the DfT’s estimate that at least 300,000 chargers will be needed by the end of the decade.
Read more: Meet the UK’s largest solar + storage EV charging ‘Superhub’
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