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Michigan Toyota Readers: A closer look at MI Auto Times Top Pick for Green Car

Michigan Toyota drivers who own Toyota Prius vehicles are already reaping the fuel-efficient rewards the Prius delivers, and they may already know that MI Auto Times has awarded the Prius as the Top Pick for Green Car; however, for those who are not Michigan Toyota Prius owners, MI Auto Times presents an in-depth look into this highly popular hybrid vehicle.

Why So Green?

The Toyota Prius is much more than a popular vehicle with hybrid technology. In its 10th year in the U.S. Market, the third generation Prius continues to improve on a design which originally made its debut in Japan back in 1997.

"We've sold close to 1 million Priuses in the US since it launched nearly 10 years ago," said Curt McAllister, Midwest Public Relations Manager of Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. "When it first came out, people laughed at its novelty. Now, literally every automaker is trying to create its own green halo with either hybrid or EV-type offerings."

From the beginning, emissions reduction has been the goal of Toyota engineers, and the 2010 Prius uses manufacturing techniques that lower emissions during production, during the operation of the vehicle and when it must be dismantled years later.

Michigan Toyota Prius buyers and drivers should know the current generation Prius is a Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle and Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle by California standards and other states adopting this classification. Falling into these two classes indicates the Prius has met rigorous exhaust requirements and has the ability to satisfy a zero-fuel-evaporative standard. Elsewhere in the U.S., the Prius occupies Tier 2, Bin 3, and surpasses average new cars by giving off 70 percent fewer emissions.

The current generation Prius gets 50 miles per gallon, and according to quite a few drivers, 50 mpg is easily surpassable.

The exterior is well designed to reduce fuel consumption with covers on the underbody and Aero Corners at the front and rear bumpers, resulting in a low 0.25 Coefficient of Drag. LED lights have been installed to reduce the draw on electricity. Chiseled fender lines and aluminum wheels improve airflow and enhance the aerodynamics of the vehicle.

The Prius is also able to harness energy from the sun with available roof solar panels built into the sliding glass moonroof. By parking the Prius in direct sunlight, the energy absorbed through the panels activates a fan to circulate cooler outside air into the vehicle and ventilate the interior.

Newly incorporated ecological plastic has been used in the Prius. Foam in the seat cushions, the cowl side trim, deck trim cover, and inneHr and outer scuff plates contain this eco-plastic that emits less carbon dioxide and uses less petroleum than regular plastics.

The power hub's Hybrid Synergy Drive system gives the Prius the capability to charge its batteries while the car is being driven. The Prius operates by running on the engine alone, battery alone or a blend of both. The Prius also encourages green behavior as drivers can actually modify their operation of the vehicle to produce more miles per gallon or give them more thrust only when absolutely needed. Prius owners can choose from four driving modes: Normal, EV mode for battery power, Eco for fuel efficient mileage, and Power for more sport performance.

In-dash monitoring accessed through steering wheel controls display previous trips' fuel consumption and actively monitor driving and give real-time miles per gallon and energy consumption.

Vindication

Michigan Toyota drivers know it's no secret Toyota has had a large number of recalled vehicles because of trapped floormats and sticky gas pedals; however, in once widely reported acceleration incident involving suspected unintended acceleration of a Toyota Prius, many news outlets were swift to make a judgement without all the facts.

Dramatic media coverage of the alleged "runaway Prius" event in March of 2010 led many people to wrongly assess unintended acceleration was the cause. Driver James Sikes called 911 and reported he could not stop his 2008 Toyota Prius which had reached speeds of 94 mph. Some news outlets sensationalized the incident before proper investigations could be conducted.

Within a week of the event the vehicle underwent diagnostic testing by both Toyota engineers and NHTSA investigators. The results of their findings included:

• The accelerator pedal was tested and found be working normally with no mechanical binding or friction
• The front brakes showed severe wear and damage from overheating. The computer revealed that the driver applied the brakes more than 200 times, during the 20-minute episode. However, the brakes were applied lightly not to activate the brake override system. The rear brakes and parking brake were in good condition and functional.
• The pushbutton power switch worked normally and shut the vehicle off when depressed for three seconds, as the 911 operator advised Mr. Sikes to do.
• The shift lever also worked normally and neutral could be selected. There were no diagnostic trouble codes found in the management computer, nor was the dashboard malfunction indicator light activated. During testing, the brakes were purposely abused by continuous light application in order to overheat them. The vehicle could be safely stopped by means of the brake pedal, even when overheated. (Information supplied by Toyota Motor Corp.)

Five months later, the NHTSA issued a preliminary report to lawmakers in Washington in which the agency inspected event data recorders from 58 vehicles involved in accidents alleging unintended acceleration. The NHTSA found 35 of those 58 crashes revealed no braking was applied suggesting driver error may have been the cause of those accidents and not faulty electronics. The NHTSA has not yet closed its investigation and the full conclusions are expected to be released end of this year or beginning of 2011.

Future force for Plugins

Toyota has been demonstrating an even more environmentally friendly version of the Prius around the world, the Prius plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. The plug-in version can go 13 miles as a purely electric-powered vehicle and achieves speeds of up to 61 mph before switching over to the internal combustion engine. After traveling 13 miles on electric, the power comes from the hybrid mode. Current recharge time on a 110V electrical outlet is three hours and 90 minutes when connected to 220V. The vehicle will be released in the market in 2012.

 

About the Author

Live in the Detroit MI area or state of Michigan and drive a Toyota Prius? Let us know. Send details to news@miautotimes.com or leave a comment at http://miautotimes.com

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