The discontinued Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid is now the subject of a lawsuit alleging that its advertised 13-mile electric range is deceptive.
Filed earlier this month in Michigan federal court, the suit alleges Toyota misrepresented the Prius Plug-In's ability to achieve that range in real-world conditions, specifically colder-than-average climates.
The suit was filed by Richard Rosenbaum, who bought a Prius Plug-In Hybrid in 2012 and is seeking to represent a class of affected Prius Plug-In Hybrid owners.
CHECK OUT: 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid: Is It An Electric Car, Or Not? (Oct 2012)
According to the lawsuit, Rosenbaum was never able to achieve the rated 13-mile electric range in everyday commuting.
He claims to have only been able to drive the car approximately 8 miles on electric power alone, and took it to a dealer for inspection.
Rosenbaum claims the Prius was then able to achieve 10 miles of range, and alleges that mechanics made some alterations to the car, although Toyota denies this.
![2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid - production model 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid - production model](https://images.hgmsites.net/lrg/2012-toyota-prius-plug-in_100383571_l.jpg)
2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid - production model
The suit also suggests that the Prius Plug-In Hybrid will not operate in electric-only mode at all in temperatures below 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
Toyota allegedly failed to highlight these limitations in its advertisements for the car, which constitutes a violation of the Michigan Consumer Protection Act, the lawsuit argues.
MORE: 2017 Toyota Prius Prime: first drive of new plug-in hybrid
Information on the 2012 Prius Plug-In Hybrid posted on the EPA's Fueleconomy.gov website does put an asterisk on the Prius' electric-only range.
According to the EPA, the Prius has an electric range of 11 miles, but small print notes that only 6 miles of continuous battery-only operation is available. The balance includes intermittent operation of the gasoline engine.
![2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid - production model 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid - production model](https://images.hgmsites.net/lrg/2012-toyota-prius-plug-in_100383562_l.jpg)
2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid - production model
Production of the Prius Plug-In Hybrid ended in June 2015, several months ahead of the switchover from the third-generation Prius to a redesigned fourth-generation model.
A new plug-in hybrid based on the fourth-generation Prius was unveiled earlier this year at the 2016 New York Auto Show. Called the Prius Prime, it will go on sale in November as a 2017 model.
Toyota has claimed a 22-mile electric range for the Prius Prime, but there is already some question of whether a true electric-only mode can be locked in by the driver.
[hat tip: George K]
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