One of the nice things about being part of a larger network is access to other sites' content.
In this case, we're pleased to be able to point ACE readers toward a drive report of a prototype 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid from our sister site GreenCarReports.com.
The 2012 Prius Plug-In will be the first Toyota that uses grid power to recharge since the late, lamented electric Toyota RAV4 model, of which several hundred are still on the road and highly prized by their owners.
The plug-in hybrid model of the Prius uses a lithium-ion battery pack of about 5 kilowatt-hours. That's less than a third the size of the 2011 Chevrolet Volt's 16 kWh, but of course the two vehicles take very different approaches to blending gasoline and electric power.
The 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid is really just a Prius with a larger pack that happens to plug into the wall for recharging.
It uses the same Hybrid Synergy Drive system as a standard 2010 Toyota Prius, and drives just like that car--only slightly heavier, and with perhaps a tad less aggressive acceleration.
In fact, it appears the 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid may be most remarkable for NOT being particularly different from the Prius we know and love.
So what do you think: Is that a good thing (a plug-in that's a known quantity otherwise) or should Toyota make the Prius Plug-In more visually distinct?
Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.
