Toyota Prius
May 5th 2011, 2:49 am
#32
Slob
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: Ottineau
Posts: 6,342
Re: Toyota Prius
Be aware the resale value of the car is very low for what it is. This is mainly due to the fact that the batteries need replacing after a few years (don't know how many but it's not a huge amount) and they are very expensive to replace.
Also they may be only slightly green to run, but if you're an eco-warrior they're not very eco cars. The batteries are full of toxic heavy metals strip mined out of the crust in not eco-friendly ways. Eco to run to the consumer in things like this are generally the least eco-friendly in the entire product life cycle. If environment is of even a slight concern, look into the entire cycle, not just if it saves you a very small amount of gas.
Also they may be only slightly green to run, but if you're an eco-warrior they're not very eco cars. The batteries are full of toxic heavy metals strip mined out of the crust in not eco-friendly ways. Eco to run to the consumer in things like this are generally the least eco-friendly in the entire product life cycle. If environment is of even a slight concern, look into the entire cycle, not just if it saves you a very small amount of gas.
Batteries must also be recharged. That means using electricity, which grows on trees. It is put into batteries using wires. These are made of metal and hydrocarbons, which are extracted from the earth, using energy, processed, again using energy, and transported, in vehicles that probably are not wind-powered.
May 5th 2011, 3:21 am
#33
Born again atheist
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Europe (to be specified).
Posts: 30,259
Re: Toyota Prius
Quite. Those cars use NiMH batteries. Nickel mining and smelting is not exactly the fluffiest thing in the world. The metal hydride bit contains lots of light rare earths, mined in China, which, as we all know, has a record on environmental protection that has never been questioned, or, indeed, even suggested.
Batteries must also be recharged. That means using electricity, which grows on trees. It is put into batteries using wires. These are made of metal and hydrocarbons, which are extracted from the earth, using energy, processed, again using energy, and transported, in vehicles that probably are not wind-powered.
Batteries must also be recharged. That means using electricity, which grows on trees. It is put into batteries using wires. These are made of metal and hydrocarbons, which are extracted from the earth, using energy, processed, again using energy, and transported, in vehicles that probably are not wind-powered.
Toyota are well on the way to replacing NiMH with MgS batteries in future versions (admittedly not quite yet).
May 5th 2011, 3:49 am
#34
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2007
Location: Hamilton, ON
Posts: 185
Re: Toyota Prius
Back to the OP - I'm another Camry Hybrid owner, no problems to report whatsoever, been very happy with it to date. Bought a 2007 model second-hand (lucked out bigtime - as a one year old ex-rental, they took the depreciation hit and we scored a well-maintained car in great condition)
The in-laws had a first gen Prius. I didn't like it, but the new model Prius sound pretty tasty (although that Lexus sounds interesting - very competitively priced).
We looked at a Diesel VW when we got here (had a Golf in the UK before moving) but IIRC, the TDi (re)launch was taking place after we needed to get a car - and the second-hand ones I testdrove really weren't that great. A pal in Vancouver's been a TDi fanboy for years, and I certainly wouldn't rule out comparing them if I was in the market now.
But if you're expecting to do a lot of stop-start driving, the engine shut-off is a great feature - as is kicking in to electric mode if traffic slows down to ~60kph (the few occasions I've had to deal with the QEW/403 in rush hour spring to mind!)
Totally concur with the environment footprint arguments, btw - if you want to have as low a footprint as possible, take public transit or walk/cycle (although not that easy/practical in most instances over here!)
May 5th 2011, 4:26 am
#35
Slob
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: Ottineau
Posts: 6,342
Re: Toyota Prius
I know you're the expert here, but you are mixing things up. The Prius (at the moment) indeed uses NiMH batteries, but it doesn't AFAIK use mains electricity. There is a plug-in version, true, but that one, like other pure EVs uses Li-ion batteries.
Toyota are well on the way to replacing NiMH with MgS batteries in future versions (admittedly not quite yet).
Toyota are well on the way to replacing NiMH with MgS batteries in future versions (admittedly not quite yet).
May 5th 2011, 4:28 am
#36
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: 9 years in the canadian trucking industry... Niverville MB
Posts: 4,423
Re: Toyota Prius
You cant realy go wrong with a Toyota, I had a Paseo in Switzerland and she just kept going, hardly ever did a service 
Wife has had Camries and now the venza which is great. If you want to go super green try the Chevy Volt
Wife has had Camries and now the venza which is great. If you want to go super green try the Chevy Volt
May 5th 2011, 4:38 am
#37
Meh
Joined: Feb 2007
Location: Calgary
Posts: 887
Re: Toyota Prius
If you want to go super green try the Chevy Volt
May 5th 2011, 4:41 am
#38
Meh
Joined: Feb 2007
Location: Calgary
Posts: 887
Re: Toyota Prius
Are you sure about that? As I understand it (working with some folk engaged in R&D with the auto sector in this very field right now) Li-ion batteries can't currently be scaled up to HEV/EV requirements due to risk of "thermal events" (as the industry euphamism goes - basically, there's a fire risk. remember the laptops that were catching fire a while back? same underlying issue).
Back to the OP - I'm another Camry Hybrid owner, no problems to report whatsoever, been very happy with it to date. Bought a 2007 model second-hand (lucked out bigtime - as a one year old ex-rental, they took the depreciation hit and we scored a well-maintained car in great condition)
The in-laws had a first gen Prius. I didn't like it, but the new model Prius sound pretty tasty (although that Lexus sounds interesting - very competitively priced).
We looked at a Diesel VW when we got here (had a Golf in the UK before moving) but IIRC, the TDi (re)launch was taking place after we needed to get a car - and the second-hand ones I testdrove really weren't that great. A pal in Vancouver's been a TDi fanboy for years, and I certainly wouldn't rule out comparing them if I was in the market now.
But if you're expecting to do a lot of stop-start driving, the engine shut-off is a great feature - as is kicking in to electric mode if traffic slows down to ~60kph (the few occasions I've had to deal with the QEW/403 in rush hour spring to mind!)
Totally concur with the environment footprint arguments, btw - if you want to have as low a footprint as possible, take public transit or walk/cycle (although not that easy/practical in most instances over here!)
Back to the OP - I'm another Camry Hybrid owner, no problems to report whatsoever, been very happy with it to date. Bought a 2007 model second-hand (lucked out bigtime - as a one year old ex-rental, they took the depreciation hit and we scored a well-maintained car in great condition)
The in-laws had a first gen Prius. I didn't like it, but the new model Prius sound pretty tasty (although that Lexus sounds interesting - very competitively priced).
We looked at a Diesel VW when we got here (had a Golf in the UK before moving) but IIRC, the TDi (re)launch was taking place after we needed to get a car - and the second-hand ones I testdrove really weren't that great. A pal in Vancouver's been a TDi fanboy for years, and I certainly wouldn't rule out comparing them if I was in the market now.
But if you're expecting to do a lot of stop-start driving, the engine shut-off is a great feature - as is kicking in to electric mode if traffic slows down to ~60kph (the few occasions I've had to deal with the QEW/403 in rush hour spring to mind!)
Totally concur with the environment footprint arguments, btw - if you want to have as low a footprint as possible, take public transit or walk/cycle (although not that easy/practical in most instances over here!)
I can't believe anyone could refer to a Prius as 'tasty', uuurghhh.
May 5th 2011, 4:43 am
#39
Born again atheist
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Europe (to be specified).
Posts: 30,259
Re: Toyota Prius
No. 
I suppose I'll have to look it up now.
Edit: It turns out I was right. Not only the Tesla but also the Chevy Volt, the Nissan Leaf and all the others a quick search found use Li-ion batteries.
I suppose I'll have to look it up now.Edit: It turns out I was right. Not only the Tesla but also the Chevy Volt, the Nissan Leaf and all the others a quick search found use Li-ion batteries.
Last edited by Novocastrian; May 5th 2011 at 4:49 am. Reason: added search results
May 5th 2011, 11:29 am
#40
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2007
Location: Hamilton, ON
Posts: 185
Re: Toyota Prius
Ta for confirming. Apologies for the duff info. Funnily enough I was chatting to the chemist person on that team, and they confirmed the root of my misunderstanding (historically, that was the barrier to initial take-up, and - again, given my limited science geek capacity - the key challenges are now with improving cathode materials, and other electrochemical low-level stuff that is quite frankly beyond me...)
Compared to the first generation! But I still wouldn't rush out to get one. More than happy with the Camry, thanks!
- the key challenges are now with improving cathode materials, and other electrochemical low-level stuff that is quite frankly beyond me...) Compared to the first generation! But I still wouldn't rush out to get one. More than happy with the Camry, thanks!
May 5th 2011, 12:27 pm
#41
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2006
Location: Cochrane, Alberta
Posts: 7,864
Re: Toyota Prius
Thanks for all your chat guys. 
