2001 Toyota Prius Hybrid EV: A Practical Alternative
It's not every day that you open up the passenger door of a new car and slide in behind the steering wheel. Toyota's Prius Hybrid EV test car, which just happened to be a right-hand drive example from Japan, is now available in North America with its driving position reconfigured.
The Prius derives its power from both gasoline and electric motors. We've all heard reports on the inconvenience of charging electric powered cars. Their limited range, especially when driven quickly or when using the headlights and accessories, make electric vehicles impractical for everyday use. The Toyota Prius on the other hand, embodies the efficiency of an electric and the range and ease of use of a gas-powered car.
The Prius seats five in comfort with excellent outward visibility. Toyota spent a great deal of energy to get it right, with solid construction and superb fit and finish. Remote power door locks, power windows and mirrors, air conditioning, an AM/FM audio system that includes a cassette and CD player, cruise control, and ABS are standard.
All that is needed is a pull on the dash-mounted gear selector to engage drive and you're off. Darting around town is as simple and easy as it would be in a 'normal' fossil fuel car. It displays plenty of power off the line, while the continuously variable (ECVT) transmission 'shifts' without commotion. It handles fairly well too, at least as well as its compact competitors.
Honestly, the Prius feels much like an everyday Toyota except for the constant drone of an idling combustion motor. Where is that buzzing vibration caused by thousands of tiny explosions? Actually, the gas-powered engine is not always at rest because it's needed to recharge the batteries. Yet often enough, especially while stationary, the Prius is so silent that you have to look at the LCD monitor on its dash to see if the power's on. The monitor uses animated arrows to illustrate which engine (electric or gasoline) is powering the front wheels, as well as, which power source is recharging the nickel-metal hydride batteries, the gas-powered engine or the kinetic energy from the brakes.
It's not every day that you open up the passenger door of a new car and slide in behind the steering wheel. Toyota's Prius Hybrid EV test car, which just happened to be a right-hand drive example from Japan, is now available in North America with its driving position reconfigured.
The Prius derives its power from both gasoline and electric motors. We've all heard reports on the inconvenience of charging electric powered cars. Their limited range, especially when driven quickly or when using the headlights and accessories, make electric vehicles impractical for everyday use. The Toyota Prius on the other hand, embodies the efficiency of an electric and the range and ease of use of a gas-powered car.
The Prius seats five in comfort with excellent outward visibility. Toyota spent a great deal of energy to get it right, with solid construction and superb fit and finish. Remote power door locks, power windows and mirrors, air conditioning, an AM/FM audio system that includes a cassette and CD player, cruise control, and ABS are standard.
All that is needed is a pull on the dash-mounted gear selector to engage drive and you're off. Darting around town is as simple and easy as it would be in a 'normal' fossil fuel car. It displays plenty of power off the line, while the continuously variable (ECVT) transmission 'shifts' without commotion. It handles fairly well too, at least as well as its compact competitors.
Honestly, the Prius feels much like an everyday Toyota except for the constant drone of an idling combustion motor. Where is that buzzing vibration caused by thousands of tiny explosions? Actually, the gas-powered engine is not always at rest because it's needed to recharge the batteries. Yet often enough, especially while stationary, the Prius is so silent that you have to look at the LCD monitor on its dash to see if the power's on. The monitor uses animated arrows to illustrate which engine (electric or gasoline) is powering the front wheels, as well as, which power source is recharging the nickel-metal hydride batteries, the gas-powered engine or the kinetic energy from the brakes.