This is nothing more than a negative publicity campaign promoted by god knows how many different sources. The toyota Prius is designed to go the same distance as any other toyota vehicle – 250,000 miles or more. This is with NO REPLACEMENT of the battery bank. I have heard this rumor ranging from 70,000 miles to 130,000 miles and none of it is true. Toyota will verify this and there is an interview with some Toyota engineer big-wig on line somewhere (don’t know where anymore) but it he clearly stated that the batteries are intended to survive the life of the vehicle. Don’t believe the anti-environmental hype put forth by big oil and automotive profiteers! There is a simple reason they don’t want you to buy a more efficient car – and it isn’t becuase they care about you or the environment. If you really want to gain some insight, go see “Who Killed the Electric Car.” This movie will knock you on your a$$! Really pi$$ed me off actually. To think that the Prius is merely a sort of dumbed down, compromise of what is really available technologically is kind of annoying. Not surprising at all, but definitely annoying. I very highly reccommend this film. If you can find it anywhere, it is a bit more real world tangible than “An inconvenient Truth.” – although i studied enviro-science in college and have to add that just about every single thing represented in that movie was accurate. Scary and sad, I know.

Anyhow, cheers.

One more point, though. About the carpool or fast lane. i am the most aggressive driver i know, and I cannot stand being trapped behind some jerkoff (in any car) going 65 or 70 in the carpool lane. As far as i am concerned, it should be 80mph or get the f@(k out of the way!!! i rail that Prius at 85 or even 95 some times and she does okay. Handles like a brick – but does okay… I am doubly frustrated with slow-a$$ prius drivers in the carpool lane by themselves becuase it gives all prius drivers a bad name and makes us look like a bunch of pansies. It is actually kind of funny how hard some drivers will fight to avoid letting me in front of them in the Prius. Of course, i get there anyway and am usually gone before they know what happened, but it is still very interesting. I know this is becuase so many Prius owners are out there driving around with the little screen on the dash set to the fuel efficiency monitor mode and trying to coax the last bleeding drop of advantage out of the prius. Give it a rest and drive the thing would ya’? I mean what difference does 3mpg make when you’re already getting 41? Geez!

Peace

I own a new Bentley and Range Rover…both get 15 MPG. In the Prius, I am getting 50 MPG, savings some dough, and yes, looking forward to driving it from my home in San Clemente CA to Santa Monica, a 70 mile drive each way in the carpool lane.

I have seen the Prius rush by me (many of them) in the carpool lane, and decided to do what the law is encouraging….saving fuel by getting a concession, driving in the carpool lane.

I of course hope it does not clog the lanes too much, and love the posts. I promise people….I will drive as fast as the car in front of me allows…with an eye on people coming in illegally over the double yellow line.

As for the batteries, 7 year warranty on the entire car. They can replace the gerbils running on the treadmill powering this little wierd looking car (yes, I think it is funny looking….kind of like me).

-he who stacks pork

moody

Oh and by the way… The rest of us are finished liking New York. Your 9/11 sympathy has worn out and we now realize you’re still the douche bags you always were. Have a nice day.

Also, blanket statements about the disposition of American North-Eastern drivers, as you called them, are just not going to be accurate. Don’t generalize.

One other thing. The Prius, by the standards of most modern cars, IS slow. My 1993 940 Turbo Wagon does 0-60mph in 8.9 seconds, and it feels fairly lethargic. Beyond that, what their 0-60 time is has no bearing on whether or not they drive 55mph or 70mph in a carpool lane. I’m fairly certain that every car in production for sale in the US as a complete, highway capable vehicle, can make 110mph. I’m not saying you’re wrong, Jim, I’m just arbitrarily correcting my perceived errors in your reasoning.

On another note, I doubt that a Prius makes 40mpg at 80mph. Hybrids are more efficient than normal cars in city traffic, but I don’t see why they would be more efficient on a highway; there’s no regenerative braking. Unless the Prius weighs less than I think it does (3,000lbs), I don’t see how that’s possible, especially at 80mph, no doubt at around 3,500-4,000rpm on the tach.

moody

When it comes to carpool lanes during traffic though, I don’t think it’s a good idea to go fast when the lane next to you isn’t. People pull into the carpool lane at 30mph all the time, so if you’re going 80 you’re running a risk.

IMHO, the real idiots are people who drive SUVs thinking that they behave like normal cars. I have been so close to getting rammed or sideswiped by an SUV so many times, it’s scary. What I don’t understand is how people think a 4,000-5,000lb SUV would make a better all-around vehicle than, for instance, a Subaru Forester or a Volvo XC70. Sorry I got a bit off topic.

moody

To other Prius drivers, if you want to maximize your fuel efficiency, drive in the city where the Prius gets better mileage than the highway. Even going 80+ in the carpool lane, I still acheive 40+ MPG…still better than most cars could dream.