How did Toyota's Prius save 5 BILLION gallons of fuel?

The Toyota Prius isn’t the coolest car on the block. If you’re ordering a Lyft or an Uber, chances are one of these will turn up to whisk you away. And with the world gravitating towards electric vehicles, the hybrid Prius seems like just another Toyota misstep, like their attempt to sell us cars using hydrogen fuel cells. | But the Prius’ economical hybrid powertrain has likely saved more than 5 billion gallons of petrol from being burned since it was introduced. Just why did Toyota start looking into hybrids, and are hybrids really a dead end technology?
Excellent videos describing how a hybrid works:
• Prius Hybrid Drive Exp...
• 1998 - 2003 Prius Tran...
"Robot Cantina" Honda Insight & lawnmower engine:
• Episode 1. We put a $...
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Sources:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lohner%...
www.caranddriver.com/features...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partner...
• Prius Hybrid Drive Exp...
• 1998 - 2003 Prius Tran...
www.caranddriver.com/news/a27...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_...
• Hybrid-Electric Vehicl...
www.toyota.com/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Es...
www.hybridcars.com/general-mo...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyundai...
global.toyota/jp/detail/4061096/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automob...
global.nissannews.com/en/rele...
• Episode 1. We put a $...
media.toyota.co.uk/product_in...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electri...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrol...
www.toyota.com/
www.honda.com/
www.designboom.com/technology...
www.best-selling-cars.com/eur...
#bigcar

[@BigCar2]

There were some issues with the video released a few hours ago (video quality problems), so I've reuploaded it.

[@subhan7782]

Do the land cruiser next pls

[@sarjim4381]

Hmm...looked fine to me, but I'll give you another like for good measure.

[@tonycatman]

I always use Uber when travelling to the city - invariably a Prius. They are incredibly good taxis. Reliable. Economical. Quiet. Smooth. Roomy. And they seem to last forever. I was in one a few months ago that had covered 250k, and was still pretty much like new.

[@typxxilps]

overall it is a bet they still could win cause the powertrain of hydrogen and EV is similiar or same in big parts. Mercedes is still on the same bet at least for trucks and busses ... and they had been developing hard too for 25 long years starting with a Mercedes Benz 100 D van .... you might remember. And the first A-class got the high seating from a double floor - in preparation for the upcoming fuel cell ... yes, thats why a 12 V batter fits in the floor below the seats ...

[@BigCar2]

@@subhan7782 There's a very cool video coming next, with a special guest. But unfortunately not a Toyota video.

[@circuitsandcigars1278]

357,000 miles and 12.5 years in my 2008 Prius before it left this mortal realm (still running) . Long live the Prius !!

[@toyotaprius79]

My '07 with 185,000 miles is practically still breaking in

[@trailsdetails4061]

It's extremely impressive how Toyota developed such a complex hybrid system, yet even the early models have little to no problems after hundreds of thousands of miles in.

[@Defianthuman]

My 2008 is at 155k and now 16 years old what a great first car. If you got one of these new it would last you almost your whole life if you did 15k per year for 30 years, since some of these can go to 450k. They just don't die.

[@TheKnobCalledTone.]

Fun fact: The electric powered AC is one of the main reasons why the 2nd Generation Prius is sought after for single person RV conversions.

[@1985toyotacamry]

Really? I didn't know that.

[@PattyKuluCakes]

@@1985toyotacamry there’s a lot of Prius camper videos. I like watching them to see other people’s ideas on how they make their Prius.

[@1985toyotacamry]

@@PattyKuluCakes interesting

[@micronyaol]

I can confirm this. Heater is also very efficient, with engine staring only for 10 seconds every 2-3 minutes to raise coolant temperature. Once I slept in my car in extreme cold (-35 Celsius), it used only 3 liters of fuel for 8 hours with temperature set to 16 degrees.

[@psions555]

@@micronyaol I remember having a Skoda Octavia estate with the 1.9 TDI engine and on a 15 mile traffic heavy commute in winter without much chance for the turbo to work the coolant guage would still be at the bottom and there would be barely any cabin heat for the whole journey 🥶🥶🥶

[@marnuscoreyempanadaslooseb6760]

Fun fact: in Australia now 70-80% of Camry sales are Hybrids, RAV4 Hybrids the waiting lists are like one year, at least 35% of Corollas would be Hybrid and when the new Kluger launches here down under I assume 40% + sales will be hybrid.

[@quanbrooklynkid7776]

I heard people in Australia drive automatic cars... like in the US if so that's cool

[@baronvonjo1929]

No wonder the V6 Camry went away.

[@jirkanovak2]

Another fun fact: Here in Europe Camry is only sold as a hybrid.

[@C4H6As]

When I tesdrove a Prius in 2005 the dealer told me, "in 2..3 years all Toyota models will be available as hybrids". Reality was much slower.

[@zzkeokizz]

I’ve had 3 Priuses since 2006. Currently drive a 2013 plug in. They’re pretty much bulletproof. The mechanical build quality and the build quality of the car itself is second to none.

[@mraaronfrancis]

Agreed, the simplified ice engine seems to have worked with everything running off electricity instead of direct connections to the ice. My gen 3 Prius had over 500,000kms on the odo and still runs efficiently and reliably. I never thought I would love this car so much

I still drive 2004 Prius. Had to replace the battery pack last year. Replaced it with 2013 Prius pack(non-plugin).

[@robertwoodliff2536]

@....how much did the pack cost you.?Did you find it difficult to get hold of.? Regards from the UK

@@robertwoodliff2536 The pack was 950 euro + install 150e with two year guarantee. It wasn't difficult at all to get it, the company that did the work had several packs available, you just chose which one you wanted.

[@martinmcdonald4207]

I`ve got a 2012 delux model, got it as a 4 year in 2016, one owner car. Always serviced annually by Toyota main dealer from new to date. Most reliable car i`ve ever had in 40 years of driving all sort of makes.

[@Henry_Jones]

One mistake toyota made with the prius is to use the term eCVT to describe the drivetrain. This lead everyone (including prominent auto mags like car and driver) to think it had a nissan style belt and pully cvt. We know this is not the case but because of those 3 letters, CVT and nissans horribe reputation with them, many people avoided buying priuses and hybrids thinking, cvt=garbage avoid cvt=avoid hybrids. Toyota shold have called it a power split transmission to avoid the confusion. The video of the cgi prius cited early in this one (its a very old video) is the best video on youtube to understand the toyota hybrid drivetrain. Its simplicity is a work of art.

[@datathunderstorm]

Spot on! I’ve often told anyone interested in the Prius Propulsion Drivetrain (a.k.a. Hybrid Synergy Drive) that this reliable propulsion system is so unique and advanced, it’s a bit like reverse engineered UFO technology! 😂

[@jochenstacker7448]

A Prius was painted in the colours of the Toyota F1 team. And today all F1 cars use the Prius drivetrain .

[@lordrefrigeratorintercoole288]

Hahahah true XD

[@JossRickard]

The eco button makes a huge difference. It reduces throttle input from actual 30% to 15%. They feel extremely sluggish and it also alters the air con operation to save petrol. It doesn't alter the actual combustion or fuel trims, it decreases the demand, hence saving fuel. Toyota always said that the Prius was a stopgap until the next fuel comes along, and to refine the electric drivetrain so full EVs or FCVs can hit the ground running. Watch out for the second version of the Mirai 👍 (also does anyone else feel sort of weirdly betrayed to find out he lives in the US, after all the focus on UK cars and the accent? Lol)

[@SteveAndAlexBuild]

😂😂

[@Henry_Jones]

Eco button makes a 2mpg difference on my v6 accord.

[@ristekostadinov2820]

I don't try to shit on new tech but in my opinion hydrogen doesn't worth it. Maybe for long distance trucking, but not for passanger cars. You are using lot of energy for electolisys (doesn't matter if its clean energy or not), you use energy to compress the hydrogen so on and so on. When you fill the hydrogen in the car you end up with a little bit better fuel efficiency than diesel engine, but far less efficient than electric motor run by batteries.

[@JossRickard]

@@ristekostadinov2820 sure there's troubles with compressing and storing it, and where the energy comes from, whether it's fossil fuels or renewables. EVs have that same problem. But you're absolutely wrong about the energy density of hydrogen. rmi.org/run-on-less-with-hydrogen-fuel-cells/#:~:text=By%20contrast%2C%20hydrogen%20has%20an,12%E2%80%9314%20kWh%20per%20kg. The Mirai loads about 3.5-4kg of hydrogen and the range is 800km or so. EVs by far, have the worst energy density ratio. Leaving the fancy science out of it, just look at these weights involved. For an average car to get 800km of mileage, a petrol engine would need ~65kg of fuel, a diesel around 45kg, an EV has about 150-200kg of batteries and a hydrogen car has been used fuel load of 5kg or less. There's your efficiency.

[@Sam-cd9jz]

i was always wondering what my car was doing between the two modes! thanks for this explanation

[@connectorxp]

One of the most comfortable and reliable cars that I owned. Started with the second, continued with the 3rd, the first plugin and after that with the 4th Prius. Then switched to a normal looking Toyota Hybrid. The Prius is like a pair of old shoes, not pretty to look at but extremely comfy. I use it for my daily commute. The Eco mode is real and slower that molasses and different than normal or Power.

[@johnburns4017]

Why do you change a car every few years, that can last decades?

[@warrenny]

@@johnburns4017 I see what you did there. It is a valid question, but honestly, lots of people change cars every few years.

[@johnburns4017]

@@warrenny I do not change where I live every few years, or my TV or kitchen. It is irresponsible to keep changing perfectly good cars.

[@warrenny]

@@johnburns4017 lol... okay, you do you....and some people will buy new cars every few years. The world won't end because someone is different from you.

[@johnburns4017]

@@warrenny Get the point. It is irresponsible to keep changing cars for no reason.

[@Robert-nz2qw]

“I’m based in the US” 😳

[@BigCar2]

They’re American IKEA cabinets, isn’t it obvious?!? 😀

[@rodoherty1]

That comment got me too! All this time, I just assumed he was in the UK.

[@paulekstorm-hughes1894]

Yup, casually dropped that one in there!

[@timlinzinger]

I... I... I don't know what to say!

[@SquareoftheyearFM]

I was not expecting that!

[@Timico1000]

You are based in the US? Always thought you lived in the UK...

[@BigCar2]

I did until 1995.

[@karlosh9286]

Yeah, I thought that too !

[@GenaF]

I was about to say the same. You've done well keeping such a clear English accent without any hint of an American accent. I remember a lad I went to school with, he went to America something to do with becoming a sports coach when he was around 19. When he returned after a few months, he had a ghastly 'fake' accent to

[@BigCar2]

@@GenaF It never really changed, although I did say some words in an American way (i.e. process, router, schedule).

[@Locutus]

I could have sworn that in previous videos, that he has said "here in the UK", or similar. 😂😊

[@gregonline6506]

Living in Germany I am driving my second Yaris Hybrid. Almost 10 of experience driving in the city as well as on the famous Autobahn. Performs nicely. And I love the linear acceleration. Until 180 km/h, sure, that’s the physical limit for the electric motor. 4-5 L/100 km is pretty ok. And it works under every weather conditions.

[@pinut187]

Which modern car doesn’t work in any weather conditions?

[@ristekostadinov2820]

I tought the regular (non hybrid Yaris) is using 4-5L/100km. At least the Mazda2 (on the same platform with the Yaris) with 1.5L SkyactiveX engine.

[@StopTeoriomSpiskowym]

@@pinut187 yaris hybrid have combustion engine too thats why its work any weather. Battery when not like all weather

[@ecavity]

A Prius II was my first experience with driving a car into the rev or speedlimiter, on the german highway :-) . I never owned newer or expensive cars before. It showed 181km/u or around 112 mph in the display which relates to a real (GPS) speed of about 173 km/u (108 mph) Still at that speed the fuel economy is not a disaster. It does around 8,55 L /100 km or 1 litre each 11,7 km, or 27,5 mpg which is probably due to it's low drag coefficient. Top Gear claimed to have used as much as 17.2 mpg with a Prius II, but I do not know whether that testresult was true or made up.

[@Martindyna]

@@ecavity Top Gear is not a serious technical car programme so I wouldn't believe everything they say. I can only imagine that they drove the Prius II up to speed at full throttle, then braked fiercely then accelerated again etc., also scubbing off speed with fast cornering.

[@MicrobyteAlan]

My company uses Prius’ for its worldwide fleet. I’ve had 3, a 2011, a 2013 and presently a 2017. Each has gone over 100,000 miles before the fleet swaps them out. I’ve never had a failure, I drive over 30,000 miles a year. My 2017 has over 105k miles averaging over 56 mpg driving at full highway speeds. I leave it in power mode doesn’t seem to make a difference. It’s very quick and nimble, very low center of gravity. The Prius is my daily driver, my personal car is a 1999 BMW Z3, so I know about quick and nimble. Interesting and well presented as always, thanks from Orlando Florida.

[@BigCar2]

You're welcome, as always!

[@motorpolitan8884]

I want to see your company set up an office in Thailand and try to buy a Prius, $100,000 to import one...

[@MicrobyteAlan]

@@motorpolitan8884 - Prius’ sell for 100,000 US$? Fleet prices here in North America are about 22,000 US$. 👍🏽

[@aghamuzammil6655]

@@MicrobyteAlan import tax probably here in pakistan there is 200% to 350% (according to engine displacement) customs duty on imported cars . I suspect its a similar story in thailand

[@StopTeoriomSpiskowym]

All used prius what i check have issues. Its after company fleet. Do you know something about? A few years cars and battery almost dead

[@Spannertech728]

It’s a testament to their build quality that so may Prii did just fine as taxis, even on the rough streets of New York City where hybrids became mandated.

[@countach27]

Just last week I started considering a Toyota hybrid and thought to myself that it’d be nice to have a BigCar video on the topic, and here we are!

[@BigCar2]

Just for you Guntis!

[@milosit]

ok. I'm saving this one for tonight and looking forward it. We've had Priuses in the past (still have one after 12 years) and they have been the most reliable and cost effective cars we've ever owned.

[@toyotaprius79]

If I had any other car, even a 70 - 100hp petrol or diesel of the same age (2007) I would most definitely struggle to keep it. Priuses are and will be the new air cooled Beetles to be kept on the road. All they need is a knowledge, which there are buckets full on the owner forums.

[@peterdevreter]

Downside is that the catalytic converters get stolen A LOT.

[@milosit]

@@peterdevreter yep. Ours got stolen last November. Couldn’t believe it. Now we have an aluminum cat shield that prevents access.

[@PM-do2yu]

I had a 2015 Prius C. When I sold it in June 2020 it had done 286,000 km. It still had two thirds of its original brake pads left and returned the same 4.8 l/100 km it did when new. Apart from two headlight bulbs and regular servicing, it cost me nothing. Sweet to drive and usefully designed interior, I miss it muchly. Truly amazing car. Thanks for another great video.

[@Infinitrium]

286000 kms on the original brakes? I assume you were using regen braking the whole time then. Impressive nonetheless

[@chrisclarke5040]

Great video. I still miss my Gen 2 Prius which I found unexpectedly charming, ergonomically brilliant and extremely comfortable.

[@woodrow_mayes]

I really imagined you were based in the UK, idk why lol

[@peterpodgorski]

Same here 🤔

[@BigCar2]

It's all the IKEA bookcases and the English accent!

[@nathanjoseph4284]

Same

[@denniz1990]

Same...

[@bandvitromania9642]

Saaaame

[@RockerTopper-hh3ru]

My mom bought a first gen 2001 Prius in 2002, and she is STILL driving it, 170,000 miles and one or maybe two major battery replacements later, and she STILL says it’s the best car that she’s ever owned; I may be in the minority in preferring the looks of this generation of the model, but the turning circle is microscopic and it makes for an ideal car to learn to drive on (as both younger my brother and I indeed did; it actually took him a bit to get used to the brakes not slightly engaging to regenerate power to the battery when he eventually moved over to a more conventional gas-powered car). I have nothing but the utmost respect, even as someone who enjoys a good exhaust or engine noise now and again, for Toyota’s engineering team the bulletproof car they managed to build.

[@martinwood9014]

One factor in favour of toyota hybrid is the lower maintenance and excellent reliability. This i found from running a mk2 as a taxi.

[@apn42]

Interesting take on the reason for developing the Prius. Until now I believed it was caused by legislation in California like stated in "who killed the electric car". Early hybrid cars lacked modern power electronics which led to poor efficiency and reliability. The Prius is brilliantly simple because of its power split planetary gear set which combines power from the combustion engine and battery. Btw. Ford also uses the Toyota hybrid system.

[@nickhahn5412]

The gen4 prius is an absolute joy to drive. I swear the late model prius is a DRIVERS CAR!!!! I swear. It has such an amazing chassis. You gotta drive it!

[@marijnvangulik8249]

Also an other very good story! Thank you! Always looking forward for a new upload and suggest friends and family to watch you're channel.

[@philiprodney7884]

You’re based in the US! What a surprise! This is a clever piece. We had a Lexus 400h. My wife still thinks it’s the best car we ever owned. Keep them coming!

[@BigCar2]

Thanks Philip. Yes, Seattle - it's wonderful!

[@philiprodney7884]

@@BigCar2 I love Seattle. Same weather as Glasgow...and almost as cool 😎

[@volkhen0]

I had 2016 Auris Touring Sport Hybrid and I really like the smoothness of the drive train of this car.

[@ALYDAVIDSON1]

Great I asked you for the Prius story and you have delivered 👍👍👍

[@Martindyna]

Very interesting video however the fact that the petrol engine runs on the Atkinson Cycle is crucial to the energy efficiency of the car. Also worth mentioning that the Hybrid Synergy drive is (I'm fairly sure) more energy efficient than a torque converter, so comparing the Prius to a standard Automatic's fuel consumption further emphasises the improvement of efficiency.

[@dustinkauffman5868]

My 2004 Prius just rolled over 245,000 miles last night, ironically this was in my recommended videos this morning.. Most trouble free reliable vehicle I've ever owned! Never had a screw turned on engine or transmission, original hybrid battery lasted until 205k. Low mileage used battery has been trouble free. Aside from that less than $500 spent on repairs since I bought it almost 6 years ago with 174k. Never seen the check engine light, and it's never failed to start, each and every time. Only thing that no longer works is the cd player! Oil changes with the (#1) synthetic every 5000 miles and it burns about 1/2 quart between oil changes. Still does 80 down the highway with no issues! Here we come for the quarter million!

[@ewan_clegg06]

idk what was wrong with the first video but thanks for the re-upload

[@BigCar2]

There were some issues with the video released a few hours ago (video quality problems), so I've reuploaded it.

[@RogerAlan]

I can’t believe I’m this excited for content about Prii

[@twainjones]

lol

[@pritambissonauth2181]

That's an excellent in depth research, piece of work. Pleasure watching it again.

[@thescotsmantechnologyrevie2138]

Informative and interesting, as always! Love Big Car!

[@ELMS]

I owned a 2nd generation Prius. It struck me as a car that was designed to do one thing well…burn the least gas possible. And it succeeded. It just didn’t do anything else well. In particular, I lived in a very cold Canadian city and in winter it produced no cabin heat at all. Love your videos.

[@jamesaherne2779]

Like the Zappa intro, great vid always enjoy.

[@Locutus]

I have a Honda Insight 2010. Had it for 3 or 4 years now. It wasn't even on my list of cars to consider, a hybrid, or the shape, or the colour, but as soon as I test drove it, I wanted it. Don't regret it! My dad would even buy a hybrid now, after using my car a handful of times!

[@Bod8998]

Great as usual and getting longer even better

[@costipredoiu]

An educative video ever!Thanks Big Car!

[@Twinspinner]

I've been watching the robot cantina videos, I never imagined that would've been mentioned in one of your videos, cool to shoutout such a small channel!

[@BigCar2]

I happened on the video by accident, and asked them if I could use a clip. Seems they watch Big Car and were happy to!

[@dangerousdave5915]

OMG! I love that Robot Cantina and the Big Car dudes! Kudo's for all the wonderful fun!

[@sputumtube]

Great video - especially loved the 'out-takes' at the end.

[@SandyP50]

I just binged watched Robot cantina last Saturday, there you go, anyway great video 👍

[@dangerousdave5915]

Love that stuff! Can't enough of them Robot Cantina vids and this channel rocks also!

[@petertorbet4740]

Missed the new video last week 😬 your people need you 💪

[@laserjet2000]

Once again, a lovely video!!! Thanks! Here in Brazil, Prius (and other hybrids) isn’t quite popular due to its high price and wacky looks! The Corolla hybrid is having better sales here!

true! i've seen a lot more hybrid Ford Fusions than Prius where I live.

[@toyotaprius79]

Trust me. When it's easier to sell a diesel or whatever for more reasons than just looks - the likes of Toyota would hesitate to sell a Prius and push it as a luxury car. That's what Toyota in Europe did with the Prius until 2016 until Turbo Diesels were exposed.

[@recumbrider643]

Great video. One of your best ans most informative so far. Thanks a lot.

[@BigCar2]

Thx

[@bruns-o-tron]

Holy carp! You really did a great job on that intro.

[@gregorylenton8200]

GREAT INFO...ENJOYED SHOW ,,,THANKS

[@CorentinHarbelot]

Fascinating story !! Greets from France

[@theotherebikeguy1473]

I own a Gen3 and it never lacks power. Believe it or not, this gets off the line quickly and gets elevated mileage by USING the power the battery stores for the traction motor. I’m an old British sports car from way back. That’s what attracted me to the channel. I am now a loyal Prius owner with great memories of spending as much time maintaining and driving TRs.

[@robotcantina8957]

Thanks for the shout out! love your channel . Jimbo

[@BigCar2]

Thank YOU for letting me use the video! I hope the shout out helped.

[@thomas316]

Like Lexus people laughed at these when they first came out but then, around '04-'08 there was a surge in fuel prices and consumers flocked to efficient vehicles. The lesson should probably be that when Toyota throws it's intellectual and financial resources behind something they can usually move far quicker than rivals. It'll be interesting to see how their electric program goes now they are fully invested. Tesla haven't had a lot of rivals until now.

[@favorit601]

I drive a Lexus ct200 for 4 years. The Prius has a high complex power train from the scratch, much more parts and thus chances to fail than conventional concepts. This is only an improvement because they made it not even, but more reliable than other technologies. And they did! Taxi drivers can count and they choose hybrids.

[@datathunderstorm]

Actually, the Prius drivetrain actually has LESS moving parts, ergo, less to go wrong. No clutches or double clutches. NO GEARBOX. It’s not even a real CVT. It’s an eCVT - which really means it’s a “Planetary Gear Set”. Fun fact, no mechanical reverse gearbox either. Reverse is accomplished entirely by the electric motors powered by the traction battery 😎. The Prius is mechanically a far, far more reliable vehicle than a conventional engined car.

[@pushbikeman]

I really enjoyed this informative and entertaining video with excellent narration and visual content.

[@matthewlok3020]

The Gen 4 was the first car to have the TNGA architecture common to all Toyotas today. I drove one in Okinawa Japan and I must admit I loved it in being not so different from the Previa my family had back home. By the time I had to return it, I drove it for 500 kms for an average consumption of 30 km/Litre

[@Henry_Jones]

Thanks for using the Neils Blaauw and Weber Auto prius videos. I saw those years ago and have sent them to friends who have questions on hybrids many times over. The weber auto channel is a must sunscribe to anyone whos into automotive drivetrains of any type.

[@BigCar2]

The Weber videos are amazing, and go into great detail to show just how simple the hybrid system is.

[@aspecreviews]

I have a 2002 first-gen. It has electric power steering, can run purely on batteries for a mile or two, and contrary to popular belief, the engine doesn't run continuously while running the AC. A cold-storage evaporator provides a good few minutes of ice-cold air while the engine is off.

[@DirectInput]

Grown up me thinks the Prius is cool, as it makes sense financially. Boyracer me completely disagrees and wants a 911 as a daily.

[@deusexaethera]

Accurate. However, you can still nerd-out over the technology used in the Prius, and if you've never driven one, it's faster than you think. Electric motors produce maximum torque at zero RPM.

[@toyotaprius79]

@@deusexaethera and gliding down hills is a joy. Basically a roller coaster with the engine off, hypermiling fun!!

[@gerrycheshill7452]

Always good to watch a video from big car.

[@misterhoeflak]

Great video, as always. I love 'Lexi' as the plural form of Lexus!

[@decisionsdecisions8906]

Great video I have the gen 2 still going strong

[@AUSTiNKiNSER]

Thank you! I asked for this a few months back. I own a first generation Prius and first generation Insight, and also have a fourth generation Prius and love them! My mom and dad both have 2007 Prius’es, and my partner just got a 2018 Prius c.

[@BigCar2]

You're welcome Austin!

[@Phenom98]

Glad there's people like you so I can drive my 2015 5.0 mustang. I do like the Insight tho

[@MKBlackcollar]

I have had a 3rd generation Prius for over 10 years and 50k miles in the UK. The Eco button does save on fuel compared to Normal. The EV button is a waste of time as it turns itself off due to a bit too much acceleration or at about 30 mph, ok for slow moving traffic. The car is pretty bulletproof as I've only had the small battery changed in all that time. No issues with the other battery used to save on fuel. Another saving was no road tax which is great. Priuses are cheap to insure too probably because a car thief will pick a sportier car to nick.

[@erik_dk842]

I loved the B mode single pedal driving as a cab driver in Copenhagen

[@bimble7240]

I'm very surprised that you didn't mention the Atkinson cycle engine in the Prius which must be one of the biggest factors in its economy.

[@flemmingsorensen5470]

Brilliant video - best I have seen on not “only” the Prius, but also on hybrid vs EV. You nailed it.... again 👍👍👍😉

[@datavalisofficial8730]

When you talked about the Honda Insight i was like "ooooohhh its the car that robot cantina used to put a lawnmower motor on" and you mentioned him and i had a fangirl moment here

[@SaturnCanuck]

Thanks for the history. There are some things you mentioned about hybrids, fuel cells and EVs that I disagree with, but the was more about the Prius and not the technology

[@BigCar2]

Please disagree! That's what life is made of. Let's all work to get to the real truth. I don't claim to have all the answers.

[@vo1968]

Love the Hard Drivin' comparison

[@CarlSmith-bs4qx]

The Gen 4 model drives like a mature and relaxing drive. At motorway and highway speeds it is very relaxing and an underrated car.

[@gaufrid1956]

My late wife bought a used 2003 in 2007 in Australia. The only things we replaced were the 12v battery in the rear compartment and tires. It outlived her, and though I sold it in 2015 after she died, I bet it's still going!

[@Foxonian]

I think the first gen Prius was only sold in California in the US so the car wasn't well known here until the second gen was sold everywhere.

[@asadansari7897]

Thanks for video and information on the electric cars , I really enjoyed watching it 😀, AA karachi Pakistan 🇵🇰.

[@TheSheiban]

I took a Prius for a test drive while looking for a car in the early 2010s, and while I liked the idea, I felt there was still a lot to improve on. It's improved a lot I'm sure, so I might go after it depending on what my needs are

[@luki8806]

Ampera driver here. Best car of my life :) Running 90% electricity (winter ~45km, summer ~80km range), more than enough for the everyday trips. For longer rides it's also efficient, working as a "normal" hybrid. This is our only family car and I only need to go fuel up about 3-4 times a year (30L tank).

[@reallyrandomrides1296]

Nice! Glad to see an in-depth documentary on the Prius. Well researched. I had a 2006 Prius "beater" and discovered it's not worth buying an old hybrid, unless it's been used a lot and has high mileage because with hybrids, ironically enough, the more you use them, the longer they last! A friend of mine has a couple of 2012s in her fleet of driving school cars and still holding up well, though looking dated at nearly a decade old.

[@toyotaprius79]

That's the funny truth about them. A car that may have paid idle for months at a time would have fussy 12v and High voltage issues. Both like to be exercised. The HV can grow "imbalanced" by individual cells losing voltage to resistance caused by heat (which can be more in the middle of the battery) or idleness.

[@toyotaprius79]

Battery imbalance can be a very simple fix if Toyota offered a service for it, but they don't. No car would've needed that after 10 years

[@MrPeteJMc]

Thank you for a great video. I have a RAV4 hybrid, a lovely car, can fully recommend as a multi purpose suv. Would love the RAV4 prime PHEV. However in the UK the price is going to be from £47k to £50k, that's over $63k. Way over priced for a RAV4. Such a shame!

[@powershin12]

I think hybrids make more sense in more congested and urban-centred countries that has lots of stop and go traffic.

[@chrishart8548]

If you drive only on motorways long distance a diesel would be best. If its only short urban journeys a full electric would be best. Then hybrid. Petrol fits in somewhere but millage plays a part diesel vs petrol.

[@MrDuncl]

VW's stupid Stop - Don't Start system means my next car will be a hybrid or electric.

[@airborneadventurer]

I am a medical courier in the PNW and rely on my 2001 Prius daily with drives upwards of 250 miles. At a constant 60 mph, I have reached 54mpg with 47 average, 43 in town. I bought it last September with 177k miles and a bad high voltage battery, repaired the battery myself with 38 slightly used cells and a thorough corrosion cleaning with vinegar, now it’s at 184k miles and it runs like a clock. It has been a pleasure to drive; excellent reliability, comfortable seats and interior for my 6’6” frame, no blind spots, it drives smooth and I haven’t done a thing to it besides change the oil and transmission fluid since rebuilding the high voltage battery. At 179k miles, the transmission fluid was like new and the pickup tube screen was partially plugged with maybe 1 tbsp of sludge after not being opened up for 22 years. Everything breaks down eventually but I’m expecting to drive this to 300,000+ miles unless a catastrophic failure I can’t fix happens. Overall, I couldn’t ask for a better car.

[@nvrndingsmmr]

Some "car people" love to say mean things about the Prius and its drivers, but it really is a brilliant car. I've been into cars my whole life and I never saw a reason to dislike these things. They're efficient, reliable, and at least try to be environmentally conscious. What's not to like?

[@Badjoe117]

A bit of a boring car I suppose depending on your preferences. The same way some people go on vacation to lay in the sun at a luxury resort, others may want the adrenaline rush that skydiving brings. You can't exactly take out a stock Prius to the track for some fun or make some fun overtakes on the highway the same way you can with for example a Golf GTI. But if all you are going to use your car for is commute and shopping then it will certainly do that very well.

[@nvrndingsmmr]

@@Badjoe117 Americans love to buy SUVs and pickup trucks they don't need, highly inefficient stuff, and all they do with them is get groceries. Most go on about how much they need the space but they don't. And these vehicles are hardly taken off road, it's got to be a joke! At least the Prius is driven by people who are honest about what they need instead of a bunch of empty posturing, trying to show the world how masculine or outdoorsy you are with your pickup/SUV. As for your point about taking the Prius out to the track, well yeah, I think 95% of what I see on the road would be terrible to drive at the track, but I don't see car guys going after those models nearly as much. They just love to hate the Prius.

[@Badjoe117]

@@nvrndingsmmr While I do agree that the average SUV or Truck owner definitely doesn't nee done, I also know a fair few hunters that use them well. It gives them a place to secure a weapons locker, toolbox and a winch. As well as a place to transport whatever you have been hunting. And I think the reason the Prius is a bit hated is down to two reasons. Firstly many more environmentally friendly cars tend to start boring trends in cars, RPM soft limiters so you can't rev up the engine, particulate filters that make your engine sound like someone stuffed a pillow down your exhaust pipe. And so on. And the second reason is that some Prius, Tesla and other car owners can be a bit "Preachy" about the environment with a sort of morally superior tone. Some of us just like a bit of spirited driving from time to time, shooting off the highway on-ramp or to floor it when overtaking a slow moving vehicle. Or to simply marvel at some fun and cool car modifications that some gearhead has made to his car. Harmless fun essentially, as a few car enthusiasts aren't going to kill the planet.

[@paulie5076]

Awesome 👍 Thank you

[@bossoli60]

Hi I Love your channel, congrats for the effort paid to all those research. Please make a story about Mazda MX5 that would be so nice!

[@BigCar2]

I’ll do that eventually!

[@twainjones]

I wish you did the low res clips in a letterbox or something, but thanks for the always interesting, entertaining and educational content! 👍👍👍 Three thumbs up!

[@BigCar2]

Some people watch on small devices such as phones, so a smaller view would look tiny. But on a large TV these low res clips look bad.

[@NicholasHubbard]

Re: the ECO button, I don't know about other vehicles, but the Honda Odyssey doesn't have a button and instead has an ECO light, which turns on whenever cylinder deactivation is enabled. It happens whenever you're cruising, coasting and generally when you're not accelerating.

[@mrtoon4197]

really love the hard drivin' mention

[@garrylawless3550]

Great video, fascinating story of the Prius. I learnt something else by watching this video - you're based in the US, I thought you were in the UK. Keep up the good work.👍🏻

[@BigCar2]

Glad you enjoyed it Garry!

[@melesmelesfaber3866]

@@BigCar2 How on earth can you live in a hell hole like the USA ? (Believe me I have experince of living in the USA back in 1999.....)

[@supremepartydude]

As a Prius driver for last five years he just did a great job and I just learned a lot

[@KendalSmithy]

More Toyota stories please. I've had three Avensises (or should that be Avenses?) and they were the most reliable, quiet and comfortable cars ever.

[@athl0n]

I drive the Toyota Auris Touring Sports Hybrid - and it’s my favourite car that I ever driven. It has the exact same drivetrain as the 3rd gen Prius and it’s such a great car to drive. No matter city, where it literally sips fuel, or a long road trip across the Europe, driving on German autobahns - while it isn’t a sports car, it doesn’t feel like a sludge to drive either. I mostly drive in ECO mode, but around neighbourhood, I always pop it into EV mode.

[@SteveAndAlexBuild]

We’ve had a 2009 insight which was disappointing for fuel economy. We’ve had a diesel HRV which was amazing in fuel economy. But got frightened off when the diesel witch hunt started. We now have a Toyota CHR hybrid which is somewhere in between but a lovely car 🚗 👌🏼🧱👍🏽

[@ocmdog]

Ahead of the game in your analysis of Hybrid vs Electric adoption. Overall a great introduction, overview and summary of the Prius story. Always incredibly comprehensive and well researched. I share your videos with my friends and I love coming back to for more insightful details and throughout reporting. Thank you for your continuous hard work. You do an excellent job breaking the history down visually and narratively. Your execution and commitment to a good story and the more interesting automotive engineering creations are a gift to enthusiasts like myself. Love your work!

[@garethfairclough8715]

Ahhh! The first time I saw one of these it was 2009. I was in the army and one of the guys in my unit got one as a hire car (provided by the army) for a training course that he had to travel to. I sat inside and thought "holy sh*t...this is a starship!". Compared to the mk 2 punto I had at the time, it was the goddamn Enterprise. My punto was one of the higher spec models too! I think hybrids (and electrics in general) could learn a lot from Diesel electric submarines. If not for cars, then for trucks and lorries.

[@eivis13]

Think Volvo does hybrid diesels. I've heard the fuel economy is crazy low on those, even the Prius can't match, but those Volvos still stink when running diesel.

[@datathunderstorm]

Funny that; I call my 2nd Generation Prius “The Spaceship”. Seriously digging that Star Trek Next Generation Shuttlecraft Cockpit interior design!!! 🤣

[@jorakarandas6592]

I like the ending!

[@barnaba333]

Doskonałe, jak zawsze. Pozdrawiam

[@louisbeerreviews8964]

English please

[@mr.techie8565]

I have only watched 3.5 minutes of this guy and I subbed

[@howarddonaldson8006]

Really enjoy your channel. Would love to see The Jaguar XK8 or the Porsche Boxter. A couple of cars that really changed the direction of a company

[@SeanBaker]

Very recently bought an 09 with 246K miles. I love it already. I get 45-50 mpg in the city.

[@mark_u]

Excellent video as always. The older Prii still look great, especially the 3rd gen. Such a shame that the current model is so ugly.

[@BryanSteacy]

I've always wanted a Prius. The early models are so uncool they circle back around to really cool. That and the newest ones do look quite good.

[@StopTeoriomSpiskowym]

13 sec to 60mph its poor. 9-10L/100km out of city its quite big consumption

[@tinatpasselepoivre]

@@StopTeoriomSpiskowym not by american standard were 10+ is relatively common. It was meant to reduce fuel eco in cities and it achieves that really well

[@midoriyaizuku4403]

@@StopTeoriomSpiskowym not true. Prius gets 4.5 L/100 km combined (incl. highway). 0-60 is 10.3 secs. It's one of the most fuel efficient car with comfort and bulletproof reliability.

[@StopTeoriomSpiskowym]

@@midoriyaizuku4403 of course 4,5L in combined i never 8L/100km on long highway trip exactly when battery is charge before charging its really fuel efficient. In city its fuel efficient.

[@highloughsdrifter1629]

@@StopTeoriomSpiskowym Average is 5lt/100Km outside town. Consistent 9-10 would indicate either a very heavy footed driver or stuck brake calipers.

[@cammyboy011]

22:51 Alan Partridge reference on point 👍

[@toyotaprius79]

Now there's a new one. Everybody loves it for the randomness of the 2020s bingo game, a good looking Prius. Toyota made a lot of progress that previous generations missed, but also made new compromises such as price, built/maintenance simplicity and practicality to make with the competition.

[@Locutus]

Good video. I can tell this one took you a while to produce! I think a Honda Insight, Gen 1 and Gen 2, video would be a nice follow-up! I'm sure you must have come across a lot of Insight information, during your Prius research! 😊

[@BigCar2]

Yes, that one took a while. The Insight would be a good one, but there's lots of other fun cars to do in the meantime!

[@FrenchBulldogsCantSpeakFrench]

I love how the Prius hybrid influenced all the the other Toyota models to have their own hybrid options aswell