Owner Name: Tom Anderson Occupation: Computer Engineer Vehicle Year/Make/Model: 2001 Toyota Prius Placed in Service: September 18, 2000 Vehicle Type: Gasoline/electric parallel hybrid Production Vehicle or Conversion: Production Engine Specifications: 1.5L, 4-cylinder in-line, 71-hp gasoline engine Motor Specifications: 3-phase permanent magnet, water-cooled motor, 33kW (44 HP) @ 940-2000 rpm Batteries: 38 x 7.2V valve-regulated nickel metal hydride, 273.6V, 6.5 Ah Inverter: Toyota hybrid system DriveTrain: Power-split device that proportions engine power between motor/axle and generator; continuously-variable transmission (CVT) uses planetary gearset, with sun gear driving the motor/generator, and the outer ring powering wheels Range: 500 miles between refueling with regular gasoline Charging Time: All charging is done by computer-controlled gasoline engine; vehicle is always ready Economy: Rated 52 City/48 Highway, I've been getting 45.5 mpg on average
My Other Car Is: 1999 Dodge Caravan What I Like Most About My Hybrid: There is practically no difference in driving between this car and any other gasoline car. Rated as a Super-UltraLow Emissions Vehicle (SULEV), it's the cleanest-burning gasoline car in the world right now. What I Use My Hybrid For: Everything. Commuting, short hops, road trips, you name it. I never drive the minivan anymore. When the family goes anywhere, we go in the Prius. We used to always drive the van, and the old car was just used for commuting. How Owning a Hybrid Has Changed My Driving: My driving hasn't had to change. I used to always keep my speed up as I neared a red-light and would brake just as I got there; now, I tend to coast more (to conserve momentum and get more regen) and hope it changes before I get there. What I Dislike About My Hybrid: The factory speakers. No cruise control. What I Would Like To See Improved: I want more software for the on-board computer. It's pretty cool, but I want to see line graphs of speed, rpm, total load, and fuel economy. The charts they have are so 1980's! If anyone figures out how to change the programs, let me know! The Most Fun I Have With My Hybrid Is: Smokin' gas-guzzlin' V-8 or V-10 SUVs off the line, and knowing I'm getting better milage doing that that than they EVER get. My Favorite Hybrid Trip Is: Phoenix to Arizona Snowbowl. 300 miles round-trip, on 6 gallons of gas. You get to use the "Braking" mode for parts of it, and you get to take a break from driving to go skiing!
