Plug-in Prius demoed tomorrow in London

If you've been hoping to get your hands around the wheel of one of those eco-friendly plug-in Priuses (Priuii?), maybe it's time to bite the bullet and finally move to the UK... just like you've been telling all your friends you're going to do one of these days. According to a report, Toyota is gearing up for the first trials of the ultra-high-MPG car starting tomorrow at an event in London's Hyde Park. An invite mailed to select members of the media (British media, we assume) states: "the purpose of our UK trial is to evaluate not only vehicle performance, but also the electrical infrastructure required, as well as driver behaviour and expectations. The results will play a key role in preparing for the future commercialisation of Plug-in Hybrid technology." So if you've ever wanted to watch one of these planet-huggers race silently around a British landmark, here's your chance.

[Derek Bradley @ Sep 9th 2008 7:52PM]

Don't you mean ultra-high-MPG??

[adam @ Sep 10th 2008 12:49AM]

speaking of grammar errors, "Plug-in Prius will be demoed tomorrow in London"

[Kyle @ Sep 9th 2008 7:54PM]

don't you mean ultra-high-MPG?

[Sachin @ Sep 9th 2008 8:56PM]

Let me be the fourth person to say:

Don't you mean ultra *high* MPG?

[John @ Sep 9th 2008 10:52PM]

don't you mean ultra-*high* MPG?

[Aaron Stein @ Sep 9th 2008 7:54PM]

I bought a prius in '04. Flew from Long Island to West Virginia so I 'only' had to wait 6 months...

anyway, at that time, what they were offering in Europe that was different was that the car came with an 'electric only' switch so you could prevent the gas engine from starting for short distances, like moving the car around in the driveway.

they get all the good stuff

[BrotherBritain @ Sep 9th 2008 8:00PM]

Cool, this makes sense since Toyota was founded in Britain but now owned by the japs (yuck). Britain being the greatest country in the world is always finding ways to save the environment. Unlike our american enemies who find ways to polute it through eating ALOT of cheeseburgers and driving oversized SUVs. No wonder Britain is a way better country than america.

[Steve A. @ Sep 9th 2008 8:13PM]

I'm so confused by the snark and misinformation. Great handle name for the topic though.

[happy_penguin @ Sep 9th 2008 8:27PM]

Wow. That was lame.

[patriotsn1 @ Sep 9th 2008 8:29PM]

Aren't douche bags like you the reason we left in the first place?

[Miles Ross @ Sep 9th 2008 9:06PM]

is it just me or isn't "ALOT" actually two words "A" and "LOT" before you bash America be sure to go back to grade school and relearn some basic spelling, oh and some history while you're at it

[warrrennnnn @ Sep 9th 2008 11:01PM]

hmm...

http://www.mcdonalds.co.uk/

fail.



now, back to my cheeseburger "polution"

[Alex @ Sep 9th 2008 7:57PM]

Or Ultra-low emissions?

[burriot_avatar @ Sep 9th 2008 8:03PM]

Isn't this a little big to be a "gadget"?

[zomg0t @ Sep 9th 2008 8:28PM]

Oh so it can't be a gadget unless it fits in your change pocket or a manila envelope?! You're just upset because Apple hasn't announced the iCar yet...
(I'm just kidding, please don't hurt me...)

[clement @ Sep 9th 2008 8:30PM]

A bit pointless to test a plug-in hybrid in a country that is still building coal-fired power plants.

[phanbouy @ Sep 9th 2008 8:46PM]

o there's coal? yeah, fuck tech progress. ignorance ftw

[Passarinhuu @ Sep 10th 2008 7:31AM]

Even if the energy to power the car comes from coal power plants it will still be less harmful and more efficient than burning gas in a car's engine...

[Zinger314 @ Sep 9th 2008 8:10PM]

Who cares? The LHC will destroy all the Priuses in the world.

I'm still a virgin btw.

[Shinigami @ Sep 9th 2008 10:09PM]

Have fun losing it! And see you on Thursday xD

[Sarig @ Sep 9th 2008 8:23PM]

I'd like to see a source on these things being eco-friendly. I've heard rumours (from my brother sister-in-laws aunts cousins best-friend) that a lot more pollution is done producing these cars than other cars, and even using one for a decade wont make up for that.

[happy_penguin @ Sep 9th 2008 8:28PM]

A lot of people keep saying that. Where is the data? Inquiring minds want to know!

[Sarig @ Sep 9th 2008 8:39PM]

Yeah, that's just it, I haven't seen data either way yet :/

Fuel-guzzling 4x4's delivered to less developed nation may use a lot more fuel, but also generally last a few decades, but they're the enviromental bastards of the media today, so I'm sort of curious how it really is.

[patriotsn1 @ Sep 9th 2008 8:25PM]

are the flowers and doves optional?

[happy_penguin @ Sep 9th 2008 8:29PM]

Yes but it already pisses glitter and farts kittens.

[Cybergypsy @ Sep 9th 2008 8:35PM]

Rather have a Mini D :)

[bo sneb @ Sep 9th 2008 8:53PM]

i won't knock the prius for its attempt at being more environmentally friendly, but if the car itself isn't ugly enough for you, here's some hippy dippy graphics to complete the look! PUKE

[James @ Sep 9th 2008 9:00PM]

I see the PLUG-IN Prius as a little useless... the whole thing is to prevent the use of GAS which is REALLY REALLY expensive... so buy a PRIUS.... well here in AZ I have a $300+ / month electric bill during the summer... how much will I be paying if I am plugging in my CAR!!!!?!???! Power is still expensive and bad for the environment... now with that all said I still like the Prius however I found the Yaris a better deal in the States. It's cheaper (by about 10K!) and still gets good gas mileage (40MPG)... I LOVE MY YARIS!!!

[phanbouy @ Sep 9th 2008 9:20PM]

the electricity is still cheaper per mile

[Mr. Alexander @ Sep 10th 2008 12:13AM]

That is why you make an investment into solar paneling for your home and grid tie it......guess what you are getting paid for excess electricity and charging your car for free. In addition to that the government has been giving tax breaks on people who invest in solar tech. for their homes. Sounds nice to me.

[TareX @ Sep 9th 2008 9:00PM]

Back looks nice, but the Volt's front is MUCH BETTER.

[Grant @ Sep 9th 2008 11:20PM]

Why do they always put all those decals on these green cars? Seems wasteful.

[Turtle @ Sep 9th 2008 11:34PM]

I pass Prii on the highway in my 12-year-old Volkswagen Passat TDI and chuckle, for I am getting better mileage than them in a car that looks much cuter. And when I'm done with the oil in my deep-fryer, it goes into the tank and gets burned.

[happy_penguin @ Sep 10th 2008 5:24AM]

But when you burn commercial petroleum based diesel you aren't doing much to save oil. Diesel yields less fuel per barrel than gasoline.

[Dan @ Sep 10th 2008 1:55PM]

BTW, thanks for using the word correctly before I had a chance to point it out. Yes, Prii. Lame, but if you're doing to follow the model of "radius::radii" then that's it.

[Mark SPX @ Sep 9th 2008 11:57PM]

I bought my prius last month... (only an eight week waiting period)... I like the fact it is a hybred... not all electric... we pay anywhere from12-15 cents a KWH, and I don't know how many KWH it would take to charge an electric version (anybody??)
I'f you take the time to learn how to drive it... and it does take a bit of thought... we've been avg. 54 MPG... If you use the braking system (joystick on the dash) to speed up recharging, you can use just the electric motor for cruising on level terrain (and i've been able to cruise on the electric motor at 75MPH)... the real secret to to think beyond 50ft in front of the car.. learn to coast, don't use the brakes unless you have to, coast downhills, and get up to speed as quickly as posible then back off the pedal...
The ONLY pitfall is the elecric motor by itself has no balls, won't take you up a grade... and the gas motor will kick in if the battery pack runs low on charge no matter how fast your going or how lightly you are pressing down on the gas pedal... was it worth the 26 grand... even at 3.80 a gallon the answer is a FIRM YES..... I compaired the chevy malibu with the prius... MPG, insurance, operating cost... maintence, resale value... etc... gas would have to cost 3.15 a gallon to reach the brake "EVEN" stage... so at 4.35 a gallon... (the cost when we picked our's up)... it has been a welcome addition to our family...

[maybe? @ Sep 10th 2008 12:13AM]

Let's see....

Alumnus, Alumni

Prius...then Prii, right?

Only if the Romans had electric cars, then we'd know for sure.

[FKL @ Sep 10th 2008 2:15AM]

Wow, this is just hillarious. It's time Toyota and Japan in general got a clue about Diesel technology. VW and TDI have been equalling, even surpassing any MPG numbers out of one of these appliance on wheels Hybrids the Japanese love to put out FOR years. I have a 2005 Volkswagen Passat TDI. Not only does it seat four people comfortably in a lavish Audi interior, but it is a car that a true driver would actually WANT to drive, offering steering and handling that any Accord or Camry could only dream to have. Oh, and returns close to 48MPG on the highway. I would love to see the Japanese at least try and compete, but they are content on releasing ugly little fuel misers that can't take any European road, let alone the Autobahn. NEXT!!

Please give me a Jetta TDI, a car that I would actually want to throw around a corner, a car that actually has torque. Oh, and VW already has a 70MPG Golf Diesel hybrid in near production form. Hmm, a car that is essentially a GTI that returns 70mpg, or an ugly as sin econobox with microscopic wheels. Oh, that's hard.

Japan, you don't have to sacrafice styling and driving enjoyment for fuel mileage. Maybe it's time you went over to Germany again for another self-examination (as if reverse-engineering Mercedes wasn't enough *cough*Lexus*cough). We know who the true innovators are, thanks.

[EVdriver @ Sep 10th 2008 10:08AM]

FKL: Your stinky-noisy diesel has already been badly defeated by the Prius:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46nMnCt75qI

You should forget yesterday's technology - like diesels -, unless you really want a polluting, underperforming car which can easily cause a lung-cancer for you.

[Yodaman @ Sep 10th 2008 6:14PM]

EVdriver, you're pathetic. Modern VW TDIs are neither stinky nor noisy, nor are they polluting nor underperforming. Your own stupid video praised the TDIs performance.

[T2 @ Sep 12th 2008 9:50AM]

Nice find EVdriver! Edmunds.com has been reliable source for a long time.
Nice to see that those dieselheads like Yodaman how desperately try to defend their outdated technology. But they failed! :)

[FKL @ Sep 12th 2008 5:14PM]

Complete ignorant morons.

Why is it that Honda and Nissan are both about to bring clean diesels to the US market. Why is it that the clean diesel 2009 Jetta is already on a waiting list? Why is it that 50% of all cars sold in Europe are diesels?

You two are the ipidemy of ignorant American morons. It's time you opened up your eyes. Diesels are not stinky, they are CLEAN, and they return excellent fuel mileage, all without a complicated, low-torque setup of a hybrid powertrain. I can't tell if you're just jealous that the Jetta is a much better CAR than a Prius (let alone any Toyota) to drive or if you truely believe that TDIs are dirty and smog-polluting. Time to take your head of your rear end and open up your eyes to 2008. You two look like complete fools in the way you're talking about Diesel powertrains.