2010 Prius revealed, sneakers still a major design influence

We've been hearing rumors about a partially solar-powered Prius, but Car and Driver's got some info on the 2010 model scheduled to make an appearance at the Detroit Auto Show in January, and it doesn't appear that sunlight plays a part quite yet. The popular hybrid gets a more angular shape, but it still basically looks like a shoe -- which isn't to say it's not an improvement over that earlier rendering, which looked like a terrifically ugly shoe. Dimensions are only slightly bigger, as Toyota wants people to "recognize the Prius as a Prius" but the engine gets a small boost to 1.6 liters while fuel economy is said to be improved over the current model's 48 / 45 EPA numbers. There's also a plug-in version in the works, but the battery tech to make that happen is still under development, and supplies will be limited to the "hundreds of units rather than thousands." All this is partially speculation on C/D's part, so we're still holding out hope for solar panels, but we've got a feeling that's not going to happen for a while yet.

[Via TG Daily]

Update: Our bad, looks like the image above is apparently just Car and Driver's illustration of what they think it COULD look like. Thanks, Dave.

[biff superman @ Jul 7th 2008 9:57PM]

those wheels look lame

[Ace b @ Jul 7th 2008 10:15PM]

you do kno they are spinning,right?

[gad get @ Jul 7th 2008 10:19PM]

@ biff superman

LOL! You just made my day with that hilarious remark!

[Flashpoint @ Jul 7th 2008 10:27PM]

THE WHOLE CAR LOOKS LAME.

These things are so stupid.

Because they feature more parts than regular cars - which come from dirty CO2 emmitting facories in multiple parts of the world, they are ANYTHING BUT ENVIRONMENTALY FRIENDLY. In fact, what they save by being low emmission, is emmitted from the factories and the energy required to maintain them - they are the benefactor of the "green movement which is just an ultra-liberal friendly way of readjusting political power.

gives the politicians something to run on: "green jobs".

I do believe in global warming but, the Prius isn't the answer. I've read studies by numerous companies and professors and have come to a conslusion that the Prius is environmentally damaging. I can even cite them if you want - or look for em yourself.

only a true scientist knows that the conversion to "green" is ridiculous because it takes far more energy to produce green things than it does to keep using regular OIL.

The future is NUCLEAR. We need to invest in Fission and ultimately FUSION. And YES, Fusion technology is achievable if we spend more into research and development. Fusion leaves FAR less waste than Coal and Oil. Even nuclear waste from Fusion has very short radioactive half lives.

Every time I look at a Prius it only reaffirms my belief that ultra-liberala and poorly educated science environments are the world's greatest threats.

GO HUG A TREE PRIUS BUYERS !

[bjrcboy @ Jul 7th 2008 10:40PM]

Personally I want one to save money on gas not save the environment.. maybe that's just me.

[AndyM @ Jul 7th 2008 10:44PM]

Flashpoint,

So what do you say to a nuclear engineer who drives a Prius?

[Flashpoint @ Jul 7th 2008 10:46PM]

Low Ranks MEAN NOTHING TO ME.

THE PRIUS SUCKS.

In fact, this piece of crap isn't even about being "green".

This piece of crap is about a bottom line "LOW FUEL COSTS".

How ironic that a vehicle that is suppossed to use less oil contributes heavily to CO2 emmissions due to its manufacturing.

What's funnier than that is the FACT that even though it gets more MPG, it is DRIVEN MORE THAN THE AVERAGE CAR due to the psychological implications of saving on fuel (scientifically proven in studies) and Toyota charges you over $30,000 for one new + $4500 for the battery when it goes bad.

A STUPID CAR FOR STUPID PEOPLE.

I hate these things. When I see em I blow their doors off.

[Dylan @ Jul 7th 2008 10:49PM]

"flashpoint" I'm sorry but you're an idiot, its not my fault, its not your's, its probably your parents. Nuclear cars will never exist for a bevy of reasons, none of which are that they're not green. Here's what may be a surprise to you, if you want to be truly green, don't drive a car at all, any car not the prius, not a plug-in electric, not a full on electric and not a bloody nuclear powered car. I sincerely hope your reply was a joke, if not you may be American.

[Jeremy K. @ Jul 7th 2008 10:51PM]

I care about low ranked comments. I wish there was a way to hide them all so I don't have to read all of your nonsense.

[Reality Check @ Jul 7th 2008 10:52PM]

Flashpoint you r0x0rs.

Prepare to have your farts sniffed by the smug!

[Cr33pingParanoia @ Jul 7th 2008 10:55PM]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prius#Lifetime_energy_cost

Flashpoint, that stuff about a Prius being more environmentally damaging is bullsh*t. No, hybrids aren't the solution to climate change, but they're certainly a step in the right direction.

I agree wholeheartedly with you on the issue of nuclear, though. We're not investing nearly enough in it, and it's one of the cleanest and most efficient energy sources out there. Fusion power is still a fair way from being feasible, though, but current nuclear tech is still much better than most other options.

[Jaimi @ Jul 7th 2008 11:04PM]

Flashpoint - the car costs 23,000 - not "over 30". The battery lasts over 8 years. The car takes a little more energy to make (not much), but over the life of the car (yes, even including recycling all the parts at the end) it saves way more energy than other cars during it's life. And by saving energy, there is less CO2 emitted than other vehicles -- but don't take my word for it, search on "dust to dust debunked" on google.
Face it, you're just a hater. You know nothing about the prius, but you want to mouth off and hate - parotting what the petroleum Fudsters are feeding you. Stop the hate man. Or at least do some research before reposting all the FUD.

[jon @ Jul 7th 2008 11:07PM]

I agree with flashpoint because it is true that the prius does take more energy to make, as with any hybrid, due to their battery packs. It takes a lot of energy to make the batteries and in turn makes the prius more harmful for the environment.

what we need are clean diesels!

[Artie Lange @ Jul 7th 2008 11:17PM]

"Low Ranks MEAN NOTHING TO ME."

That is the single greatest thing anyone has ever said on Engadget EVER.

Flashpoint for President.

[Yevon @ Jul 7th 2008 11:20PM]

Has anyone here read Wired? In the recent issue about the environment, they stated you would need to drive approximately 100,000 miles in a Prius to make up for the pollution caused by manufacturing (compared to a typical American SUV). It sounds bad, but Priuses (Preusi?) last remarkable long, hence why you don't see many used ones out on the lot (also due to demand).

PS - Flashpoint, shut up.

[ddub @ Jul 7th 2008 11:43PM]

Flashpoint's tone in his comments are pretty bad, but everything he said was true. People calling him an idiot are the one's who are idiots. If you guys really wanted to be green, why don't you drive a small car that gets similar gas mileage as a prius and doesn't require batteries. Or maybe hang on to your cars a little longer instead of buying a new one every two years. Seeing flashpoint with a low ranking just says there's too many idiots reading this post.

Using electric cars may be worth it however, I'm not sure though. But definitely more attention needs to be given to making autos more efficient. I think the people at aptera are on the right track.

[Eh @ Jul 7th 2008 11:45PM]

"flashpoint for president"

Havent we had enough George Bush for one lifetime?

[phanbouy @ Jul 8th 2008 12:06AM]

flashpoint: stick to your usual only-half-joking pedophilia and incest comments

[paul @ Jul 8th 2008 12:10AM]

1. It's not about the environment, it's about fuel costs. Nobody cares if there's .2% more pollution than a normal car during manufacturing. It's about the gas.

2. Saying the Prius is bad because people drive it more is like saying Diet Coke makes you gain weight because people eat more when drinking it. I drink Diet Coke and still eat sensibly, and I own a Prius and still take the bus to work each day. Stereotypes are the reference guide of the dumb.

3. Liberal does not always equal environmental, and environmental does not always equal liberal. See stereotypes comment above.

4. I can CAPITALIZE words AS WELL. But I DON'T because it makes my COMMENTS look STUPID.

[macserv @ Jul 8th 2008 12:14AM]

Flashpoint is exactly right.

We need nuclear now, and fusion finally, with a potential stop at solar in between. Then, for mobile purposes, we use the clean energy to electrolyze water for hydrogen, and use that to move electric vehicles with fuel cell powerplants.

Hybrid vehicle technology has served to advance electric motor and battery technology, which can be applied to the next generation of vehicles, powered by hydrogen. Outside of that, though, they solve nothing. Heck, the manufacture of a Prius battery alone requires seven trips overseas to different facilities.

[Artie Lange @ Jul 8th 2008 12:20AM]

Boooo! How dare Flashpoint make sense! Ddub, you're spot-on.

[Tina Darby @ Jul 8th 2008 12:23AM]

OVERABUNDANT CAPS LOCK USE!!!

[unicore @ Jul 8th 2008 1:29AM]

flashpoint = angry moron. what a dumbass.

[User @ Jul 8th 2008 1:55AM]

Flashpoint,

You're one of those people who thinks that if the answer doesn't instantly perfectly fit the problem, then it shouldn't be addressed at all.

It's better to help boost the development of all electric vehicles by using hybrids as an initial stepping stone.

[ddub @ Jul 8th 2008 2:36AM]

@Yevon - Your argument doesn't make sense. How many miles in a Pius does it take to make up for the manufacturing pollution compared to a car sized similar to the Pius, thats what matters. Probably 250-300k mi. You just made a better case for flashpoint.

[ddub @ Jul 8th 2008 2:57AM]

And one more thing (probably not the last), everyone low ranked me above just because I sided with flashpoint, even though my argument made sense. Unless someone can show me otherwise, I'd like to hear it.

And paul, people don't get a pius because they want to save gas mileage (okay maybe some do, like you) but many surveys showed that the majority of people bought a pius to "make a statement about themselves".

[phanbouy @ Jul 8th 2008 2:58AM]

@Artie
way to be a cheerleader for the biggest tool on this site. too bad you don't have any argument of your own except showing up like clockwork on _every_ alternative fuel car to whine like the quarterback just left you for a prettier teammate.

[Yevon @ Jul 8th 2008 3:01AM]

Ddub,
First, it's called a Prius. Duh.
Second, it was Wired's statistic. I don't know how it would stack up to a Honda Fit or similar car, Google it.
Third, ASIMO was sooo 1991. Change your avatar.

[ddub @ Jul 8th 2008 3:21AM]

@Yevon,

No its a Pius you get it right. And you brought up the wired story and I squashed it, so you do the googling to prove your argument, I'm not going to do your work for you. I'm too busy crying over what you said about my avatar. [Sarcasm] That was a good one. [/Sarcasm]
I know how sarcasm fly's over your head so I figured I'll help you out and spell it out for you. BTW, ASIMO came out in 2000.

[loosely_coupled @ Jul 8th 2008 3:29AM]

@Flashpoint

You are a complete idiot, and don't have a CLUE about what you are talking about. I'm much too tired to write a statement by statement critique of your rant, but let's just say you sure were able to fit in just about every MYTH there is regarding hybrid vehicles.

If you actually look at the FACTS, hybrid vehicles are a great way to reduce dependence on oil and have a NET POSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT. The environmental impact of the production and recycling of suitable battery and electrical engine components is inconsequential compared to the environmental benefits of a vehicle that achieves such fuel efficiency.

Plug-hybrids (PHEVs) greatly extend this benefit. The argument that they just shift the source of pollution is very shortsighted.
First of all, PHEVs energy-based environmental (and political) impact is a function of the power sources that run the electrical grid. As new renewable energy and/or clean energy production technology comes online in the form of solar-thermal plants, offshore wind, on-shore wind, geothermal, carbon-sequestering coal, natural gas, etc, the PHEV vehicles continue to get "greener" and more environmentally friendly, while gasoline ICE vehicles only get less efficient.

Also, even with traditional coal, natural gas, and fuel oil powered power plants, it is much more efficient to centralize power production in one major facility than it is in millions of simple combustion engines in cars. Large facilities can use technology and materials that are too expensive or impractical to have in a vehicle, but which can increase the efficiency of traditional sources of fuel, such as simply recapturing waste heat and other much more complex techniques of increasing efficiency.

On the same token, centralizing the energy production makes it much easier to maintain environmental standards and keep pollution low. Again, large centralized facilities can use technology that is too expensive or impractical for individual vehicles that can reduce emissions and create a lot less harm to the environment, even if they were burning the same type and amount of traditional fossil fuels.

And all the advantages I've mentioned until this point has entirely disregarded future distributed energy sources such as home and business solar-voltaic panels and small wind turbines, among other future technology. Many people will be able to provide for a large amount of their home and vehicle energy needs through these systems. Obviously, the same cannot be done with a conventional gasoline or diesel vehicle.

Whether the future lies with hydrogen vehicles, all-electric, hybrid electric-biofuel, hybrid electric- hydrogen, etc, these unconventional means of powering vehicles are going to be a critical part of reducing dependence on fossil fuels and reversing climate change.

You should really just stick to ranting about whatever it is (anything?) that you are at least minimally knowledgeable about..

[ddub @ Jul 8th 2008 4:25AM]

@loosely_coupled

Your entire long winded argument; while true, only applies to electric cars and PHEV's and not a standard prius. The only fuel source for a prius with out any modifications is gasoline.

To be honest I didn't read your entire post because I've heard it a million times and have probably made similar comments in the past. But your comments had nothing to do with what flashpoint said. He even said that we need to rely more on nuclear, which I assume means use electric cars. Sounds like the same point your trying to get accross.

[bohsocks @ Jul 8th 2008 9:02AM]

Doesn't the fact that the picture is only the rendering of what the car COULD look like make this entire post.... unncessary?

[Matt @ Jul 8th 2008 10:11AM]

Eh, they do it for the iPhone. Time for some equal opportunity fanboyism.

[Grey @ Jul 8th 2008 10:27AM]

Flashpoint, you forgot to mention that the strip mining to acquire the metal for the batteries is almost as destructive to the environment as the giant freighters which burn a shipload of diesel to truck it back and forth from Japan for construction of the batteries.

Yay green power! ... *crickets*


Dr. Fermi, or, How I learned to stop worrying and love the power plant.

[Grey @ Jul 8th 2008 10:33AM]

@ Dylan:

He didn't mean directly nuclear powered cars. He meant nuclear power plants providing 100% of electrical service via power lines. Then the integration of plug-in cars, which are largely used at night, which balances peak hours of power usage making our entire energy system more efficient, very green, and ridiculously cheap. But you're right. He's an idiot. *blinks* *roll eyes*

[Steve A. @ Jul 8th 2008 11:48AM]

Grey:

You know that 90% of all car batteries in the US are already recycled, and in each new car battery contains 60-80% recycled lead and plastic right?

http://www.epa.gov/garbage/battery.htm

There is an environmental consequence for the mining new materials, but we already have a very successful battery recycling program in place, greatly reducing its impact on the environment.

[teej @ Jul 8th 2008 12:14PM]

i want in on this Flashpoint bashfest! i don't care if he's right or wrong (i honestly just low rank his comments by default); he does not deserve your attention. he wants your attention with his typically inane, ostentacious comments.

[jon @ Jul 8th 2008 1:51PM]

i want in on this Flashpoint bashfest! i don't care if he's right or wrong (i honestly just low rank his comments by default); he does not deserve your attention. he wants your attention with his typically inane, ostentacious comments.

@ teej
You cannot make yourself look smart by using "big" words and then in the previous sentence ignorantly "automatically low rank his comments". Maturity is something we need more of on engadget, and you, sir, are not helping the problem.

[teej @ Jul 11th 2008 5:10PM]

@jon,
If you took the time to read his previous comments, you'd probably want to automatically low rank all his future comments as well. If not, may God have mercy on your soul. Bringing attention to the ignorance of Flashpoint's posts will hopefully shed some light on his immaturity, thus, reducing the need for me to post anything...at all. Then, we can all get on with our lives, reading the hilariously witty comments and quips w/o the immature, ignorant assholes (like you, Flashpoint, and myself) getting in the way.

Also, please pardon the dangling participles and my attempt to utilize an education.

::insert big words here in another attempt to be cool::

[jeesusfreek @ Jul 7th 2008 9:58PM]

prt? solar panels don't have a prt?

seriously though....the car looks sorta boxy. and the rear window must be about 8 inches high...

[egloskerry @ Jul 8th 2008 1:04AM]

That's an interest calculation! Interest = percent x rate x time!

[bkj @ Jul 7th 2008 10:01PM]

...still looks like a lunchbox.

[macserv @ Jul 8th 2008 12:15AM]

A Mazda lunchbox, even.

[Timothy Sottek @ Jul 7th 2008 10:02PM]

Is the windshield really that big or is the car entering warp speed?

[Ace b @ Jul 7th 2008 10:16PM]

the more vision i get,the better

[gad get @ Jul 7th 2008 10:25PM]

It looks like it's designed to give you the most attractive possible view out of the windshield-- a great view of the picturesque blue sky, while cutting out that ugly view of the asphalt road. Great idea!

[mcatrage @ Jul 7th 2008 10:41PM]

I can't wait for the plaid version when they reach ludicrous speed.

[Smileypanda @ Jul 7th 2008 11:02PM]

It's a Prius. It doesn't do warp speed.

[Echo1 @ Jul 8th 2008 12:04AM]

"Captain, I can't push it any faster"

[RyogaHibiki @ Jul 8th 2008 12:36AM]

I'm worried about how extreme of an angle the windshield is since, for some reason, I tend to get dizzy looking through extremely slanted windshields. Does this happen to anyone else? I also have astigmatism.