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Toyota has revealed the U.S. version of the 2023 Prius hybrid and the Prius Prime plug-in hybrid.The standard model produces either 194 hp or 196 hp, and the Prime has 220 hp.The new Prius will go on sale in the U.S. sometime next year.Every new car aims to be quicker and better-looking than its predecessor, but it wouldn’t have taken much for Toyota to make such claims about the new 2023 Prius. Being slow and ugly has always been the Prius’s thing—and that’s not even meant as a knock against it. Slow and ugly worked for the Prius, which was a sales hit for many years and even won one of our 10Best awards in 2004. But the quintessential mass-market hybrid has fallen out of favor recently, among buyers and C/D staffers alike.The thoroughly reworked fifth-generation Prius appears to be just the right antidote. Significantly more powerful than before, it also offers slightly better fuel economy and adds many new features including solar panels and a hands-free driving feature. And wait, it looks like that?!More on the PriusThe same teardrop shape remains, but the new model’s smooth side surfacing, elegant detailing, and far more athletic proportions make us look back at the previous model and wonder—what happened? If the Prius could have looked like this the entire time, why didn’t it? The front end features scooped-out headlights with a C-shaped LED accent light, while the rear has a full-width LED taillight strip that looks like the new Crown sedan’s. Two inches lower than before and one inch wider, the Prius has a whole new stance—and seemingly a new outlook on life.This extends to the new powertrain that bumps output up to between 194 and 220 horsepower, depending on the configuration. That’s a huge uptick from the previous model’s wheezy 121 hp. Toyota claims the new Prius will accelerate to 60 mph in between 6.6 and 7.2 seconds, which could make it feel like an NHRA dragster compared with the 10-plus-second runs of the previous model.Although Toyota hasn’t released detailed powertrain specs quite yet, one contributor to the newfound muscle is the 2.0-liter inline-four gasoline engine that replaces the previous 1.8-liter unit. All Prii now use a lithium-ion battery pack that’s mounted under the rear seat; the old nickel-metal-hydride pack that was still found in certain versions of the outgoing car is gone. The all-wheel-drive Prius also swaps its induction-style rear-axle-mounted motor to a new permanent-magnet synchronous unit.A 194-hp front-wheel-drive setup is standard, and the all-wheel-drive model adds 2 hp to that total. The FWD-only Prius Prime, meanwhile, tops the range with its 220-hp plug-in setup that includes a larger lithium-ion battery that promises around 38 miles of electric driving range, compared with the previous Prime’s 25-miles rating.View Photos2023 Toyota Prius PrimeMichael Simari|Car and DriverDespite the extra grunt, Toyota also promises an EPA combined rating of 57 mpg for the base front-wheel-drive LE model with its 17-inch wheels. That’s one better than the outgoing 2022 Prius Eco’s 56 mpg rating, although adding AWD and opting for the XLE and Limited models’ larger 19-inch wheels will likely drop that number somewhat.Unlike before, the Prime plug-in doesn’t offer much visual differentiation from the standard car (fortunately, they both look good now). But now that it’s the most powerful Prius, Toyota is pitching it as the sporty one, as it’ll be offered only in SE, XSE, and XSE Premium trim levels. The standard car will have LE, XLE, and Limited models, just like before.While the lower trims aren’t anything fancy—they lack power seats, feature a relatively small 8.0-inch touchscreen, and will likely look dumpier on their 17-inch wheels—the Limited and XSE Premium models introduce some novel tech goodies and convenience features. A huge 12.3-inch touchscreen comes on board in the upper trims, along with a power liftgate, and a digital rearview mirror is optional. The Prime will offer solar panels for its glass roof that juice up the battery while the car is stationary to help power accessory functions and the air conditioning. Also exclusively optional on the Prime is a Traffic Jam Assist function that allows the driver to go hands-free under certain circumstances under 25 mph.We’re expecting Toyota to raise the price somewhat on the Prius, but the base model should still come in under $30,000. Top versions will likely exceed $40,000—but maybe that’s not such a stretch thanks to the Prius’s newfound swiftness, high-end features, and, most of all, its undeniable curb appeal.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

• A new study shows a significant reduction in rear-end collisions for vehicles equipped with forward collision warning together with automatic emergency braking.• Other advanced driver-assistance systems had less dramatic but still notable real-world results.• The study looked at vehicles from the 2015 through 2020 model years.You’re half as likely to get hit from behind if the car following you is equipped with forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking. That’s the major takeaway from a new study whose results were recently announced. Forward collision warning (FCW) combined with automated emergency braking (AEB) reduced the incidence of rear-end collisions by 49 percent. It’s not just low-speed crashes that are prevented—the technology reduced serious injury crashes of this type by 42 percent.From the C/D Archive The auto industry has been enthusiastic about adopting these safety systems already. In 2016, 20 automakers issued a statement vowing to make AEB standard on all vehicles, and the current study was conducted by PARTS (Partnership for Analytics Research in Traffic Safety), described as a data-sharing partnership between the U.S. Department of Transportation and eight automakers. The study also looked at other advanced driver-assist systems, and there the results were less dramatic. Vehicles equipped with lane-departure warning (LDW) and lane-keeping assist (LKA) were less likely to be involved in single-car collisions where the vehicle stuck an object alongside the road, but the reduction was only 8 percent. Adding lane centering marginally increased the effectiveness, bringing the drop to 9 percent.The study also looked at pedestrian-detection systems and their ability to reduce incidents of vehicles hitting pedestrians, but the data were inconclusive, possibly due to the small number of vehicles so equipped.The study used police-reported crash data from 13 states, for crashes that occurred between January 2016 and August 2021. More recently, earlier this fall AAA cautioned that the safety systems can’t completely protect vehicles from rear-end crashes, particularly those that happen at higher speeds in the 40-mph range and up, so this technology doesn’t mean you’ll never be rear-ended again. This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

A study conducted by utility company National Grid suggests that highway truck stops setting up for EVs in the next two decades could require the same amount of power as a small town might use.Based on current traffic patterns, the study found, many highway charging sites (the equivalent to a highway gas station) will require 20 or more fast-chargers to meet EV demand.The study focused on 71 highway sites in New York and Massachusetts with an eye toward finding solutions to “future proof” U.S. highways for the EV era.There are a lot of hurdles to clear between where our infrastructure sits now and the seemingly inevitable future of widespread electric-vehicle use. A new study from utility company National Grid is showing just how tall some of those hurdles may be. More on EV ChargingThe study examined traffic patterns and projected charger use at 71 highway sites throughout New York and Massachusetts and considered relevant EV sales goals/mandates, based on a scenario in which all light-duty vehicles sold in the U.S. are electric by 2035 and all medium- and heavy-duty vehicles sold are EVs by 2045. Think of the highway sites as being equivalent to a highway truck stop or gas station. According to the study, in the next 10 years more than a quarter of the sites studied will require 20 or more fast-chargers, or the equivalent power of a sports stadium, to meet demand during peak hours. National Grid’s analysis of EV charging capacity changes in the Northeast.National GridAs things stand now, fast-charging along American highways is still in the embryonic stage. To find 20 chargers in one spot, at least outside California and outside the Tesla Supercharger network, is nowhere near the norm. Sometimes, finding an open charger is only half the battle; finding a fast-charger in working order becomes even harder. Gas stations may be able to get by with only four or six pumps, but charging most EVs takes considerably longer than pumping a tank of gas, meaning there will be more time for potential overlap at the charger.According to the findings, in 10 years more than a quarter of sites studied will require the same amount of power as an outdoor sports stadium to meet charging demand, with some requiring the same power as a small town within the next two decades. The study suggests plugging into the existing high-voltage electrical grid to “future-proof” high traffic areas on the highway. Conveniently, the study notes, these transmission lines already tend to mirror highway routes. Equivalent to a Small TownSites acting as electrified truck stops could require the same amount of energy needed to power a small town. Size and weight are especially important for electric vehicles. Take the nearly 10,000-pound GMC Hummer EV, with its 2923-pound battery, which took an hour and 49 minutes to get from 10 to 90 percent state of charge. On the other hand, the 4800-pound Taycan, which accepts a lower peak power input than the Hummer, is able to charge from 5 to 80 percent state of charge in a claimed 23 minutes. It’s not hard to think about how a parking lot full of electric semi-trucks, all towing roughly 40 tons, would require a huge power output.”No Regrets”Transitioning our highway infrastructure will not, and can not effectively switch overnight. Of the $5 billion the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law from last year promised, the first $900 million or so has been approved for EV chargers to cover 53,000 miles of highway throughout the country.In its summary of the study, National Grid says a goal is to figure out how to do “no regrets” upgrades at “no-regrets” sites—”so we can build grid infrastructure once, and build it right.” In what seems like an understatement, the power company says upgrading and building high-voltage interconnections along highways “can take years,” which is the points of its study urging the industry to plan ahead for it now. One thing is for certain: the highway landscape is going to look different—and much more electrified—10 and 20 years into the future.This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

The first images and bits of information about the 2023 Toyota Prius are here.This is the Japan-spec model, which offers a reworked hybrid drivetrain with 193 hp for the standard hybrid and 220 hp for the plug-in hybrid.Details about the U.S.-spec 2023 Prius are coming tomorrow, so stay tuned.Toyota has taken the cover off the new 2023 Prius, as the first images and details about the Japan-spec car have arrived. While it’s instantly recognizable as a Prius thanks to its teardrop shape, the lower stance, far sleeker side profile, and interesting-looking headlights and taillights take it to an entirely new realm in terms of design.Open GalleryThe new fifth-gen Prius is also significantly more powerful than before, with Toyota claiming that the reworked hybrid system produces 193 hp in standard form and 220 hp in the plug-in-hybrid model. A 2.0-liter inline-four gasoline engine replaces the old 1.8-liter unit. The U.S. version may have slightly different specs, but it’s clear that there will be lots more grunt on offer than the current model, which has a combined output of just 121 hp.ToyotaThe single image of the interior shows a large horizontally oriented touchscreen, a digital gauge cluster on a tablet-style screen behind the steering wheel, and a row of buttons on the dash for the climate controls. The chunky steering wheel is similar to what’s in the bZ4X EV, and the shifter on the center console appears similar to the joystick-style unit we’re familiar with from the old Prius.Toyota will be releasing more details on the U.S.-spec Prius soon, so check back here in the evening of November 16 to learn all about this new generation of the hybrid hatchback.This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More