Constructive Discussion.  It's finally happening.  I responded to this: "Electric range is the primary reason why anyone would buy a plug-in hybrid in the first place."  The post immediately disappeared.  I wonder if something technically had went amiss.  So, I posted it again, from a different computer.  Same thing happened again.  Since I couldn't get any feedback, I waited.  Sure enough, the moderator had taken the advice.  It was his topic detail I was making comments about.  Those references had been revised.  That was great.  He was making a sincere effort to keep things constructive.  I was thrilled to see discussions being aimed away from the rhetoric we've had to deal with in the past.  Here's what I posted twice, both of which were hidden shortly afterward:  The plug-in owners group here is working hard to make sure data is up-to-date and complete, so statements like that can be as constructive as possible...  Ford's EV range is listed at 19 miles.  That's old.  It is now 22 miles.  BMW's i3 tank capacity is listed as 1.9 gallons.  That's old.  It is now 2.4 gallons.  BMW's i3 range for EV is missing entirely.  The newest model offers  112 miles.  Remember, the ultimate goal is to replace traditional vehicles with plug-in choices.  That means being thorough, especially when encouraging competition from within the plug-in market.  It shows consumers how far along the market for vehicles carrying battery-packs has progressed.

No Heat Pump.  Turns out, the second-generation Volt didn't actually get the upgrade.  Older designs had the shortcoming of losing effectiveness in the extreme cold.  That meant if you were driving in temperatures well below freezing, you'd get warm air in the cabin rather than hot.  The traditional resistance-heaters overcome that, but the tradeoff is much higher electricity use.  They give Toyota a very hard time for side-investing in fuel-cell advancement... never paying attention to the reality that those vehicles employ new technology that the hybrids will be able to take advantage of... like the advanced heat-pump Prius Prime will be getting.  Not only is it capable of delivering heat in much colder conditions, it also includes vapor-injection.  That's a feature used in commercial heating for increasing efficiency.  Prius Prime will be the first ever mainstream vehicle to use that too.  When technology reaches personal use, you know good things are to come.  Well, you do anyway.  Those enthusiasts are still clueless.  They're the same one obsessed with battery-size.  It clouds their judgment, preventing them from seeing what advancements are needed for acceptance by the masses... like the move beyond resistance heating.  Ugh.

Electronics 101.  Sadly, the rhetoric immediate ensued.  I was annoyed.  I knew MPGe would be brought up, even though I had intentionally excluded it.  Unfortunately, the reason why was totally elusive.  The enthusiasts just plain don't take the time to figure things out.  That's why they are enthusiasts, rather than supporters.  A true supporter will take the time to ask questions and consider outcomes.  An enthusiasts just parrots talking points.  Anywho, I decided to keep my response simply, by conveying some basic education on the topic:  KWH >> BTU.  Some heaters require more electricity to deliver the same amount of heat.  That's why Volt was upgraded from a resistance type heater to a heat-pump.  That's also why Prius Prime will use an even more efficient heater, a heat-pump with gas-injection.  Electricity can be wasted.  Not all designs are the same.  The level of efficiency is not measured by just distance traveled.

Wasteful.  The state of California is considering a new set of incentives for the purchase of a plug-in vehicle.  They want to encourage continued growth of the clean & efficient choices, but simply don't have any more HOV stickers available.  That option is totally exhausted.  Not everyone has to deal with the heavy commute traffic anyway.  Unfortunately, we still get replies like this from Volt enthusiasts: "The rebate should be based on the battery size."  That obsession with bigger always being better is a challenge to deal with.  I want to expand discussions beyond the usual rhetoric.  That means countering the posts, but presenting new perspective.  After all, I know they'll try to fallback on EPA rating.  The AER (All Electric Range) focus got them nowhere.  Understanding MPGe is still an issue.  Fortunately, that opens opportunity to look at other aspects of being clean & efficient.  The biggest is winter heating for the cabin, something they outright dismissed for years.  It is now finally getting some attention.  Perhaps this will help that along:  Why not base upon efficiency results instead?  There are measurements available to gauge use of electricity.  For example, a plug-in vehicle with a resistance-heater will be nowhere near as efficient in cold-weather driving than one with a gas-injected heat-pump.  In other words, the less efficient will require a larger battery to deliver the same outcome.  Using more electricity in that manner should not be encouraged.  We don't what to provide larger subsidies for wasteful plug-in designs.

Solutions, part 2.  That post was great.  I was thrilled such a well thought out reply had been provided.  It was nice being able to rectify his thoughts too, confirming his careful study was what others have also concluded.  This was my response to that:  Bingo!  It never ceases to amaze me how some don't notice that bigger picture at play.  The audience is completely overlooked.  Toyota has stated many times how they want to expand the market by offering new choices to appeal to new audiences.  Prius Prime is most definitely one of those new choices.  RAV4 hybrid is another.  That's why I get annoyed by arguments about Prius shoppers being turned off by the cabin & cargo arrangement for Prius Prime.  It's a red herring.  The purpose of appealing to those thinking of electrification should be obvious. It's not a hybrid relying solely on gas for power.  Different alternatives to traditional vehicles will have different tradeoffs.  Direct comparisons simply don't make sense.  The industry mindset has been conquest & cannibalize.  That actually works for initial rollouts, especially when large subsidies are available.  When you want to phase out older products, that is a terrible approach.  You have to find a way to entice those who have yet to show any interest, not to get those who already have to upgrade.  It's what economics is all about.  You have to look beyond engineering & accounting.  Marketing to non-Prius owners presents new challenges... which means old solutions won't work.

Solutions, part 1.  There has been an on-going discussion about target-market for Prius Prime.  Some current Prius owners are baffled by their assumption of it being for them getting disputed.  Since Prius PHV was a natural progression from hybrid to plug-in hybrid, finding out that isn't the case for this second generation has stirred many posts.  I find it odd how so many threads have included acknowledgement of Toyota's effort to reach out to new consumers is met with such confusion.  My theory is they believe that only applies to other Toyota vehicles, that Prius itself would never attempt new focus... despite the plug.  The true supporters have paid close enough attention to notice the market shift and recognize Toyota's adjustment.  After all, design flexibility accounted for such a need.  A good friend of mine stated the situation this way: "I thought the Gen 4 was meant to keep Prius owners (and some upgraded from their Gen 2).  I don't think the Prime is destined to mainly attract Prius owners.  Current owners who want to move forward would've bought a Leaf, Volt, or if they have the means, a Model S.  They want that EV experience.  The Prime will probably have to be marketed to non-Prius owners who are thinking of electrification.  They have to market the fact that the Prius Prime will have the Prius name to back it up.  It looks less weird/out there than the Gen 4 (or past Prii) and they have to push the currently unknown factor of MSRP."

We want advancement of plug-in choices, but they must be sustainable.  Challenges await.  We all see them coming.  This isn't a "wait for the next generation" situation anymore.  What should happen to prevent future sales struggle?

We'll see more of that progress with Prius Prime.  That's a plug-in vehicle configured to entice showroom floor shoppers.  How many other plug-in choices specifically target those consumers?  They are the who profit on-going profit for the business.  Enthusiasts certainly don't fulfill that role.  Automakers are unwilling to take on huge risk.  Toyota found a way to reach further into the mainstream without having to do that... and get criticized as a result.  Why?  Think about how many lithium battery cells they will produce in the next year.

Notice how other EV offerings, like Ford Focus EV, VW e-Golf, and Hyundai Soul EV all sell in tiny numbers, yet the automaker gets praise for embracing electric vehicles?  It's a reality some choose to disregard, embracing the "me too" approach rather than pushing for showroom floor competition.  That's sad & unfortunate.

Too Little, Too Slowly (revisited).  I found this declaration posted yesterday ironic: "After 5 1/2 years people are finally discovering Volt, the greatest car in history..."  Prior to the rollout of Volt, the concern was raised about GM falling into the trap of delivering a vehicle not able to reach the mainstream.  That originated from the group overseeing the bankruptcy recovery, expressing the problem caused by a rollout of something unable to generate profitable high-volume sales.  Well, all these years later they have been proven correct and all those who ratified the concern vindicated.  Volt was a disaster... because it did indeed pursue that goal, but failed to achieve it.  There will be a lot of spin & excuses, looking back.  None will fix the current problem though, looking forward.  The second generation has climbed to the potential of possibly reaching half of mainstream minimum.  Sales that low for a vehicle facing heavy challenge from within is a problem.  Asking repeatedly what GM intends with Bolt has been met with disregard initially, then turned to resentment.  No one likes to answer the difficult questions.  Pressure from having a limited quantity of tax-credits cannot be ignored.  Toyota halted Prius PHV rollout in the United States as soon as it became apparent the market had shifted.  GM did not.  As a consequence, Toyota has many more tax-credits (around 155,000) still available and 35 states without any legacy sales to deal with.  Volt enthusiasts mocked Toyota for that move and attacked supporters.  Now, they have the reality of roughly only 95,000 tax-credits available when the rollout of Bolt begins and new marketing & education to provide for all 50 states.  That division of resources and information conflicting with the past is a direct result of not having capitalized on Volt back when it had a monopoly on the plug-in hybrid market.  Gas was very expensive back then too.  More & Faster could have made quite a difference.  What happens now that so much is stacked against Volt?  See why I documented so much history as it was playing out?  This situation was foreseen.  Concerned was expressed.  Recommendations were not taken seriously.  Finally?  Greatest?