Prius vs. Prius Prime
Alex Reale
Dec 7, 2021 · 3 min read
Prius owners often have a charming, smug aura. They spend less on fuel, enjoy a smooth ride, and contribute less to gas emissions. But their high horse could be toppled, ironically, by their own sibling.
The Toyota Prius Prime, which came out in 2017, was the new and improved Prius. It takes all the great features of the classic electric vehicle (EV) and adds a little extra spice. Read on to discover some of the main differences between the two models.
The Prius Prime is a spin-off of the original Prius model.
The classic Toyota Prius
When the Prius we all know and love was introduced to the U.S. market at the turn of the 21st century, it wasn’t obvious that it would be a runaway hit. People grumbled about its weird shape and didn’t seem convinced of its safety features.
But Toyota’s hybrid offering took the market by storm, shutting down the haters by leaning even harder into its cylindrical inelegance, winning all kinds of safety awards, and saving its drivers tons of money on fuel.
Soon enough the Prius was totally inescapable, and anyone shopping for a hybrid had a clear template to start from. With great mileage, a pleasant driving experience, and a very reasonable price tag, consumers were enthusiastically purchasing the model from Toyota. Since their inception, over 4.3 million Prius vehicles have been sold, according to HotCars.
Enter the Prius Prime
Once the Prius was comfortably enshrined as a winner in the car market, Toyota began thinking of ways to wow drivers once more. In 2017, the world was introduced to the Prius Prime. This newer version of the classic is recognizably a member of the Prius family in shape and size, with a few changes to the taillights and front and rear design, but it has one crucial difference.
Unlike the classic Prius, which generates electricity through driving, the Prime is a plug-in hybrid. This may sound more inconvenient, but on a full battery, the Prime can run on EV mode for approximately 25 miles.
This means that no gas will be used at all, and the car is fully operational with only its electric motors running the show. And when the battery is depleted, the Prime will act just like any other Prius and go hybrid. For the cost-conscious driver, this really is a prime option.
There's no bad option for hybrid fans
So, the basic difference between the Prius and the Prius Prime is that the Prime is a plug-in hybrid that will use only the electric motors until the battery runs out. The Prime’s fuel efficiency is better than the traditional Prius, but you really can’t go wrong with any kind of Prius in this area.
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