{"id":10937,"date":"2019-08-19T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-08-19T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/studebaker.priemerhosting.com\/the-toyota-prius-an-elegant-solution\/"},"modified":"2019-08-19T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2019-08-19T00:00:00","slug":"the-toyota-prius-an-elegant-solution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/studebakermuseum.org\/the-toyota-prius-an-elegant-solution\/","title":{"rendered":"The Toyota Prius: An Elegant Solution"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"214\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-6953\" src=\"https:\/\/www.studebakermuseum.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Toyota-Prius-1-for-website-300x214.jpg\" alt=\"Toyota Prius\" srcset=\"https:\/\/studebakermuseum.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Toyota-Prius-1-for-website-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/studebakermuseum.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Toyota-Prius-1-for-website-1024x732.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/studebakermuseum.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Toyota-Prius-1-for-website-768x549.jpg 768w, https:\/\/studebakermuseum.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Toyota-Prius-1-for-website-1536x1097.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/studebakermuseum.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Toyota-Prius-1-for-website.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>For most of automotive history, the main impediments to the electric car have been battery technology (limited range) and cheap oil. \u00a0The energy crises of the 1970s awakened interest in alternative propulsion, but range and utility remained elusive goals. The family car was expected to go 300 miles or more without refueling, and to carry at least four people.<\/p>\n<p>To reduce \u201crange anxiety\u201d (the fear of being stranded far from home with a dead battery), the hybrid concept gained favor. \u00a0This usually involved a small gasoline engine and a generator, to recharge on the road. \u00a0At first, the idea seemed inefficient and overly complicated\u2015two systems instead of one\u2014and perhaps too expensive. \u00a0Other attempts at electric propulsion, like the battery-electric General Motors EV-1 were minimalistic and limited to two passengers.<\/p>\n<p>The word \u201celegant\u201d is a term of respect used by engineers to describe a design that is no more complicated than it need be to perform its intended function. \u00a0A variation on the axiom \u201csimpler is better,\u201d it aptly describes the Prius.<\/p>\n<p>Rather than adding on a completely separate power source to charge the batteries, Toyota annexed an electric motor to a 1,500 cc four-cylinder gasoline engine. \u00a0Employing a continuously-variable transmission to let the engine operate at maximum efficiency, the car could also run on electric propulsion entirely, with the engine shut off. \u00a0Batteries are nickel metal hydride, an advanced technology not quite as powerful as lithium but without the hazards inherent in large lithium cells. \u00a0To integrate all these disparate elements an advanced electronic control and management system was developed; \u201cdrive by wire\u201d it is sometimes called, and also included regenerative braking. \u00a0Weight of 2,750 pounds was less than that of the EV-1, and the Prius carried two additional passengers.<\/p>\n<p>Introduced in Japan in 1997, the Prius entered the European, United States and Canadian markets in 2000. \u00a0At about $20,000 in the U.S., it was much more expensive than a Corolla, but equivalent to a mid-range Camry and affordable for its target customer. Styling was distinctive, for instant consumer recognition, yet not radical or startling like some alternative concepts.<\/p>\n<p>By 2010 annual worldwide sales had risen above 500,000. \u00a0Having changed the world, however, the Prius now had to live in it. \u00a0Variations on the Prius concept had been adopted by other automakers, including Ford and General Motors, so hybrid buyers had more choices.<\/p>\n<p>Prius sales remain strong, in the 200,000 to 300,000 range, and customer loyalty is high. Many customers are now on their second or third Prius. \u00a0Replacement is seldom due hybrid-specific maladies, but simply items that wear and fail on all cars\u2014heating and air conditioning, for example\u2014or non-related causes like accidents. \u00a0Batteries have proven not to be a reliability factor; original packs last ten years or more. The current model is the fourth generation.<\/p>\n<p><strong>About the Author<br \/>\n<\/strong><em>Kit Foster has had an insatiable curiosity about automobiles since birth. He has written for enthusiast magazines for 35 years, in the United States and in Europe. His book, <\/em>The Stanley Steamer, America\u2019s Legendary Steam Car<em>, received awards from the Antique Automobile Club of America and the Society of Automotive Historians. A long-time member of both organizations, he was named a Friend of Automotive History by SAH, from which he also received the Carl Benz Award for periodical articles. He lives in Gales Ferry, Connecticut.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>About the Series<br \/>\n<\/strong><em>This series of essays explores the vehicles that made up our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.studebakermuseum.org\/?exhibition=ten-cars-that-changed-the-world\">Ten Cars that Changed the World<\/a> exhibition.\u00a0 The exhibition was a partnership with the <a href=\"https:\/\/autohistory.org\/\">Society of Automotive Historians<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Image courtesy of <a href=\"https:\/\/visitsouthbend.com\/\">Visit South Bend<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For most of automotive history, the main impediments to the electric car have been battery technology (limited range) and cheap oil. \u00a0The energy crises of the 1970s awakened interest in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":10938,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10937","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-special-exhibitions","category-ten-cars-that-changed-the-world"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.3 - 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