The most cost-effective, consumer-friendly plug-in?
Is it electric range or efficiency that most matters?
In The right mix? 66 percent of Chevy Volt energy is electric we left open the question, does the Chevy Volt use the right mix of energies?
Today, the answer to that question is not fully clear, but now that more real world plug-in data is becoming available, new plug-in realizations are occurring. Perhaps the biggest is whether electric range are overall efficiency matters most?
To try to answer that question, let’s compare the Chevy Volt versus the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid. Both of these vehicles, unlike pure electrics like the Nissan Leaf, use gasoline engines to complement their battery packs.
According to GM, the Volt is an electric car with an onboard, gasoline-powered range extender. Whatever. The Volt is a plug-in hybrid that utilizes both gasoline and electricity. Nevertheless, the early data demonstrates that the Volt definitely acts more like an electric car than a gasoline powered one.
On the other hand, the upcoming Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid acts more like a, well, like a hybrid. Electricity isn’t necessarily the preferred fuel, instead the plug-in Prius uses whatever energy, or combination of energies, offers the most efficient performance. The fuel source isn’t really the key. Instead, it’s efficiency.
Unfortunately, we don’t yet know exactly how efficient the plug-in Prius will be, but we do have some numbers to massage a bit.
For instance, average electric range for the Volt is probably around 35 miles, while the average electric range for the Prius will be only 12 or 13 miles. So, is that the end of the story?
For early plug-in adopters, possibly. For mainstream buyers, probably not.
For example, analysis by MotorTrend found that when the Volt uses 73 percent electricity and 27 percent gasoline, the the cost per mile to drive the Volt is 8 cents. A conventional Prius, on the other hand, is 7 cents per mile. The Nissan Leaf is 4 cents.
So, will the plug-in Prius be less or more per mile? Will additional EV range, but also a heavier battery pack, make the plug-in Prius more efficient or less efficient per mile to travel?
Regardless, for now the current Toyota Prius costs less to drive and less to purchase than the Volt. The plug-in Prius will cost less than the Volt, and if it’s cheaper per mile, those economics could trump the Volt’s extra EV range. Ultimately, according to numerous consumer studies, cost-effectiveness is the only thing that will drive most mainstream consumers to plug-in vehicles.
So, back to the question. Does the plug-in Prius offer enough range?
While the plug-in Prius will probably disappoint most hardcore plug-in fans, 13 miles of EV range might make the most cost-effective and efficient sense for average US drivers, particularly based on the state of battery technologies and infrastructure.
More important, overtime, as battery technologies evolve, the Prius can easily add more range via the Hybrid Synergy Drive, which can function as a parallel hybrid, serial hybrid, a parallel/serial hybrid, or even a pure EV. Consequently, range should not be the metric that drives plug-ins forward, instead it should be the right mix of efficient cost-effectiveness that can push plug-ins into the mainstream — because only mainstream buyers can turn plug-ins into real foreign oil dependence and global warming fighters.
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