Toyota has been surprisingly reluctant to offer electric vehicles
. Famous for introducing the modern hybrid car to the world with the original Prius, the auto giant has lagged behind competitors in the EV revolution
. The new Prius Prime is the closest thing we have to a fully electric Toyota so far, but when it comes to its primary selling point—its fuel efficiency—there’s one glaring problem. It doesn’t surpass the regular Prius already available.
Jerry
, your car insurance super app, compared the regular Prius to the plug-in option to help explain why the more electrified version isn’t the more eco-friendly of the two.The regular Toyota Prius is already a hybrid, and one of the most fuel-efficient of its kind. Its “Eco” trim offers an impressive 56 miles per gallon overall.
The plug-in Prius offers an affordable gateway to electric vehicles with its 8.8-kWh battery. It can travel 22.5 miles without using gas at all. But once the car switches to its fuel tank, the comparison to its older sibling becomes less flattering.
When using gasoline, the Prius Prime offers two fewer miles per gallon than its regular counterpart. The reason, ironically, is its larger lithium-ion battery pack. Once its charge is used up, that battery turns into dead weight—300 pounds of it.
Consumer Reports
(CR) says Toyota has improved the Prius Prime by limiting its reasons for switching to gas down to three: lack of charge, sub-zero weather, and driving needs that require high power. But so far, it’s not enough to make the car more eco-friendly than the O.G. Prius.Reasons to get the Prius Prime anyway
Most people thinking of buying a Toyota Prius of any kind has gas mileage
on their mind. So why would anyone buy the more expensive, less efficient Prius Prime? Well, for starters, that efficiency depends a lot on how you plan to use the car. For commuters driving relatively short distances, 22.5 miles of all-electric travel could be enough to avoid using gas altogether, especially if you have access to fast charging at work.
Though you sacrifice a little legroom and cargo space in the Prime, Toyota made slight improvements to the interior materials to help justify the car’s higher starting price.
EV tax credits were an incentive to get the Prime (it was eligible for up to $4,500) until the rules changed in August making the credit only eligible for EVs that finish assembly in the U.S.
MORE: You Can’t Beat the Toyota Prius and Prius Prime When It Comes To Value and Reliability
Coverage comparison for the Prius and Prius Prime
CR says you can hop into a Toyota Prius for just over $29,000. Opting for the Prius Prime will cost you about $3,500 extra. Car insurance
cost less for the regular Prius as well, but the average coverage for both cars is probably higher than you think. Annual premiums for a Prius sit at $2,266 on average—nearly $500 over the national average. Coverage for a Prius Prime bumps that number up to over $3,087 a year. But you can avoid paying these high prices by shopping with Jerry.
A licensed broker that offers end-to-end support, the Jerry app gathers affordable quotes, helps you switch plans, and can even help you cancel your old policy. Jerry customers save an average of $887 a year on car insurance payments!
MORE: The 5 Most Affordable Plug-In Hybrids
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