Driving A New Prius Plug-in Hybrid
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You may recall my recent column about the Lexus CT 200h, but this time around – and thanks again to Servco – I had the opportunity to drive the latest Prius Plug-in Hybrid. Since the Prius first launched in 1997, many other Toyota and Lexus hybrids have hit the road, but this is the first time a plug-in is available. The Plug-in brings the best of both worlds together – a hybrid and an electric vehicle melded into one car! It features a new Lithium-ion battery, which gives the vehicle an extended electric-only (EV) driving range of up to 11 miles (at a maximum speed of 62 mph). The estimated average miles per gallon (mpg) is 95 in electric mode and 50 mpg in hybrid.
Obviously, plugging it in makes a huge difference since I averaged about 110 mpg on my morning commutes to work (after a full charge), and 55 mpg on the way back home (with no charge as there was nowhere to plug it in at work). It only takes three hours to obtain a full charge, and you can set a timer on the car to make it charge at 2 a.m. so you can efficiently use your electricity at off-peak hours. Charging the car is simple since it uses a standard 120V outlet (15-amp dedicated circuit), but if you happen to have a 240V outlet, it charges in half the time at 1.5 hours.
