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Though it may be a while before the fourth-generation Toyota Prius leaves the assembly line, it may be worth the wait as far as batteries and drivetrains are concerned.
Automotive News reports the new hybrid will have two choices for battery power. According to senior managing officer of powertrain development Koei Saga, both a low-cost nickel-metal hydride unit and a larger-capacity lithium ion pack — for longer electric-only range — will help provide power. Though Saga was cagey regarding economy numbers, he claimed that the new packs’ economy would “surprise everyone.”
Meanwhile, the power won’t be directed toward just the front wheels. Saga says there’s a possibility that AWD could be in the cards for the new Prius, which will be underpinned by the company’s Toyota New Global Architecture.
So, how long until someone disables the front wheels and puts Prius drifting videos on YouTube?
That would be awesome! You know, I’ve hear the Prius has “FR-S tires”…
I am strongly considering buying the upcoming AWD Prii, lifting it, chopping the top & installing roll bar & KC Lights, and then tackling the Rubicon Trail in it in hopes of getting trail certified.
Title: “Fourth-Gen Toyota Prius To Receive AWD”
Content: “there’s a possibility that AWD could be in the cards for the new Prius”
I don’t mind being that a**hole, so I’m going to point out these are not the same thing.
Congratulations, you’ve discovered clickbait. It was a lot worse in TTAC’s “F*ck Da Police” days.
AWD – so it can compete with the Model X?
Is there a reason beyond marketing to the ignorant?
Agreed. AWD Prius makes 0 sense unless the “AWD” is a couple of electric motors out back that only kick in when the front tires are loosing traction. The whole point of the car is maximum MPG so why hurt either the mpg or the battery range with AWD?
If an AWD Prius is pointless, then what is the point of any Subaru? Or the 80% of JGC/Tahoe/Explorer that never go off road?
Electrifying the back wheels might also allow for improvements in regenerative braking.
Good point. The AWD Prius could make Subaru the next Mitsubishi.
Nah. For a mass-marketed vehicle with full time AWD setup, Audi and Subaru are still the benchmark. The last ‘capable’ AWD car Toyota sold was the Celica GT-4, aka Celica All-Trac Turbo in the early 90s.
It’s simple. The whole point of a regular Prius is the best MPG. The whole point of an AWD Prius would be the best MPG in an AWD vehicle.
It’s likely the same setup that the Hybrid RX and Highlander have, electric motors to the rear wheels with power on demand.
So, how about a Prius v Outback?
Prius+AWD=Inability to sell other vehicles in blue states north of the Mason Dixon, even the v and c. People will go to the FWD once the AWD models run out.
I knew that this was going to happen.
Doesn’t very little braking happen with the rear wheels? Though I guess most Prius drivers brake relatively gently, so just braking with the rear wheels would be sufficient.
The front wheels do most of the braking. I wouldn’t say that the rears do “very little” though. About 30% on most vehicles, so it’s significant.
Formula 1 cars do all their regenerative braking through the rear wheels, and they put out about 160 hp worth of supplemental electrical power for about a third of each lap, so energy is being harvested far more rapidly than the Prius in those.
“the new hybrid will have two choices for battery power. According to senior managing officer of powertrain development Koei Saga, both a low-cost nickel-metal hydride unit and a larger-capacity lithium ion pack — for longer electric-only range ”
this is news, why? Prius 3 has offered that for years already.
While I never liked the design of the bean shaped Prius line I understand they are for people with the environment in mind, or for people that really want to go far without having to set foot at gas station for long periods of times. The need for less gas and having the best hybrid systems on the market is appealing and now with the Prius C being the cheapest Prius and the Prius V being the large cargo hybrid Toyota has the market covered, well almost. The one thing that stops the Prius from being a winner for me is AWD and maybe some more luxury features, but mostly AWD. Living in the North East driving a Prius in the snow is borderline useless in some conditions, heck even my Accord Coupe V6 was terrible. Adding a AWD system would ding the MPG of a Prius but as long as we aren’t talking 10 points why not? Maybe its being I am getting older and I see what it costs to own a car and operate it in the NE, but if the Prius V came with AWD, that car will be my next car.
I’m not one of those people who has anything against AWD. It’s massively more enjoyable to drive with in winter conditions, just as RWD is massively more enjoyable to drive with compared to AWD or FWD in summer conditions. But it sounds like you need to discover winter tires. In terms of practical driving at typical socially acceptable rates of acceleration and vehicular attitude, 2WD vehicles do just fine in the snow with those, and happen to brake and turn much better than an AWD on all-seasons.