![]() In these normal conditions, the car feels just like a normal Prius. It was cold out - about 25 degrees - but it hadn't had any snow recently in the area, so our roads were clear and dry. Based on that, we wanted to create a four-wheel-drive system for the Prius that didn't sacrifice fuel economy, but that would be a relatively inexpensive system that would allow us to sell Prius to new people."įor our drive, we started by taking the Prius AWD-e out on public roads in and around Kohler. "And in addition, we've had this secondary target where we want to go expand our base for our environmentally friendly vehicles. "For Prius, obviously, fuel economy is always top of mind," Kaneko-san said through a translator. At highways speeds, the car relies on the same tech as the FWD Prius to provide stability. As deputy chief engineer of the Prius, Shoichi Kaneko, told us, customers on the colder, snowier Japanese island of Hokkaido were primarily concerned with traction at low speeds, where it could mean holding up a line of drivers behind you at a stop. Toyota says this is not a limitation of the system, but instead a feature or choice in order to provide the efficiency andįuel economy figures Prius buyers demand. That also means that this motor isn't used for regeneration the front motors handle that.Ībove 43 miles per hour, the rear motor doesn't activate at all. Otherwise the rear motor stays quiet to conserve energy, and the magnet-less design of the motor means it doesn't add resistance when not providing power. It'll also power up in situations where you could potentially lose grip,Ĭalculating yaw and speed - say, under hard cornering - to prevent understeer and help keep you on your line. From 7 to 43 miles per hour, it only engages when needed. It's always on from 0 to 6 miles per hour, helping to pull away from a stop or through a corner with maximum traction (it works in reverse as well). The rear motor isn't providing power all the time, either. It puts equal power to each rear wheel through an open differential with no mechanical torque vectoring involved, and the wheels can beīraked independently as needed to compensate. There's no driveshaft to link the rear axle to the gas engine or front motors. As such, the rear motor - which supplies just 7.1 horsepower, but a much more significant 40.6 pound-feet of torque - operates independently from the rest of the powertrain. The all-wheel-drive system in this Prius has been engineered to maintain the efficiency customers demand while providing a traction benefit when needed. Toyota says the battery chemistry switch was made in order to provide superior cold-weather performance. Unlike other Prius models that use a lithium-ionīattery pack, the AWD-e instead relies on a nickel-metal hydride pack. Power to the front wheels comes from the same 1.8-liter gasoline-fueled four-cylinder engine as every other Prius, along with a pair of motor/generators, to provide a combined 121 horsepower. Finally, the Prius adopts the grade naming of the rest of the Toyota lineup – L, LE, XLE and Limited - with the AWD-e version available in LE There have been a couple other minute tweaks, such as placing seat heater buttons in better view near the cupholders, and adding extensions to the sun visors. Instead is more palatable piano black plastic on the center console, the shifter surround and the steering wheel. Inside, gone is the sea of white plastic, which simultaneously managed to look both dramatic and cheap. The updated lighting front and rear makes this car much more approachable. Not only that, but Toyota has listened to the masses and scaled back the visual weirdness for 2019. Now, those four-wheels-driven stalwarts in the Snow Belt can enjoy similar frugality. Prius nameplate has been a go-to for those who want a car that's economical both up front and at the pump. For those who swear by high mpg but want AWD (or vice versa) this is a great thing. With 50 miles per gallon combined, it'll be the most efficient all-wheel-drive vehicle you can buy without a plug when it goes on sale in January 2019. Toyota unveiled the 2019 Prius AWD-e at the 2018 Toyota has something new it'd like to show you. If the lack of all-wheel drive has been what's kept you from enjoying the impressive efficiency of a Having four driven wheels won't make you stop any quicker on ice, but the "AWD" badge on the back instantly adds 15 confidencepower. Snow tires when they set their clocks back an hour in the fall. Whether they need it or not, some people refuse to go without, even if they're not concerned enough to switch to Depending on where you live, the unavailability of all-wheel drive on any certain car model could be a deal-breaker.
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