Car buyers have been attracted to the Toyota Prius for over two decades, due mainly to its incredible gas mileage. The 2019 Prius Prime offers drivers the opportunity to make that morning commute and save big on gas. Here are key essentials about 2019 Prius Prime you need to know.
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The Toyota Prius is the best-selling hybrid of all time. Due to its long-term reliability and excellent fuel efficiency, Prius is an excellent choice both as a new and a pre-owned purchase.
One of its many offerings is the 2019 Prius Prime. This Plug-in hybrid vehicle makes efficient use of both gasoline and electric to give drivers the best gas mileage possible. But how does it work?
Prius Prime can drive the wheels using both its gasoline engine and electric motors, with a smooth-operating system called series parallel hybrid system. If the battery is fully charged, Prius Prime runs on the electric motors only. When the battery runs out, it operates like the traditional Prius we all know and love, using both the gas engine and electric motors to drive the car as they are needed. Speaking of batteries. If you are a regular Hybrid Prius owner, don't buy a new Toyota Prius Hybrid Battery - have it repaired instead.
Prius Prime gets 54MPG - or 133MPGe
Let’s jump right into it. There are many important buying criteria shoppers have when researching hybrids to purchase. The chief one, though, is nearly always fuel economy – and how much you can save at the pump.
Toyota Prius Prime offers a couple different ways to measure your gas mileage. First, when using purely hybrid mode, which is the combination of gasoline and electric modes, drivers can expect 54MPG (55 city / 53 highway). This is terrific fuel efficiency on its own.
However, when utilizing EV (Electric Vehicle) mode, 2019 Prius Prime scores an EPA-rated 133MPGe rating. To reach this maximum MPG potential, it is best to capitalize on driving as much as possible in EV electric mode. An ideal situation would be when commuting to and from work each day.
25 miles on electric charge
After fully charging your 2019 Toyota Prius Prime, you can drive up to 25 miles on a full charge. Imagine you live 19 miles from your job. You can plug in and charge your Prime overnight, then drive to work. Plug it in again and it will be charged before you leave for home. Then drive back in EV electric again. Rinse and repeat.
Watch as I review 2019 Prius Prime Advanced and what makes it so special as well as subscribe to Torque News Youtube Channel for daily Toyota and Auto news.
But how long does it take to charge a Prius Prime?
When plugging into your standard grounded outlet at home, Prius Prime’s battery can be charged in around 5 hours and 30 minutes. It’s the old “charge while you sleep” technique (or something like that).
If you use one of the many public charging stations (240V) springing up all around, 2019 Prius Prime can be fully charged in approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes.
640 miles on one tank of gas
Aside from the fuel efficiency a car achieves, the other important gasoline question is how far can a person drive on one tank of gasoline. What if you have a trip planned up the coast next weekend? How many times will you need to fill up?
The Toyota Prius Prime delivers a driving range of about 640 miles (EPA-estimated, of course). To put things in perspective, this is driving from New York City to Myrtle Beach, SC on one tank of gas. Or imagine being able to travel from Los Angeles to Seattle and only needing to fill up one time. Road trip anyone? Bueller? Bueller?
Prius Prime seats 4 not 5 (yet)
A family of four is ideal to ride in a 2019 Prius Prime. But not five. Due to a number of limiting factors, among them adding more weight and lowering fuel estimates, Toyota decided to go with two seats in the second row with a nice large armrest with storage space instead of that 3rd middle seat. A good compromise, but still no 3rd seat.
Have no fear, though. Toyota is slightly modifying its 2020 Prius Prime entry this summer. It will have three seats across the 2nd row to accommodate five passengers. Nice work Toyota!
And the comment of the day goes to...
This perfectly sums things up. It comes from one of my readers who is incredibly proud of the MPG her family is getting from the Prius Prime. “We bought a ’17 Prime and love it too. My firefighter husband got crap from his buddies about the hamstermobile, but we are giggling as we pass them at the pumps filling their trucks.” Good job Marianne!
Watch: Make A Toyota Prius Hybrid Battery Last Past 350,000 Miles Performing Your Own Replacement and Subscribe to Torque News Youtube Channel for Daily Toyota and Auto Industry.
Thanks for reading my story. See you in the next story titled: Damaged 2019 Toyota Tacoma Symbolizes Hope for a Community After Tornado Direct Hit.
Jeff Teague is a Toyota news reporter at Torque News. You can reach Jeff on Facebook and follow his Instagram for his popular "Toyotajeff Minute" quick Toyota reviews.
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We have looked at the Prius
We have looked at the Prius Prime option because my wife works 7 miles from town but based off this the battery EV mode would not be available to here after her 12-hour shift.
I get about 37 miles on pure
I get about 37 miles on pure electric in spring and summer but just 25 in the winter.
it gets 25-30 miles in
it gets 25-30 miles in electric mode. That is plenty for a 7 mile commute.
My Prime gets much better than 50mpg/130MPGe. I get closer to 70MPG in hybrid mode and 150MPe when I burn up my battery on my 30 mile commute.
The 25 miles per charge mentioned are highway miles. If you drive slower or have stops, you'll get better mileage.
I don't understand the
I don't understand the problem. Charge the car at home, drive 7 miles to work on EV, 12 hours later drive 7 miles home on EV. You still have enough charge left to make a grocery run of a couple of miles on EV.
I don't understand your
I don't understand your statement. If your wife works 7 miles from town, how come the EV mode would not be available no matter low long she works? When the car is sitting in the parking lot of her employer, it is not using any electricity.
My wife traded in her 2004
My wife traded in her 2004 Prius (which was still going strong) on a 2018 Prius Prime. With about 5000 miles on it, the overall MPG is 162! Time for a road trip!!
The insurance costs are
The insurance costs are higher for Prime than other cars as it has two of everything (higher than we pay for Bolt)! I do have one and love it (2017 - 32K miles). But just FYI for people considering buying it.
And just be aware that
And just be aware that currently if you get a plug in hybrid vehicle like the Prime, the state of NC apparently fines you an extra $100/year with your registration, to offset all the gas taxes that you are NOT paying the state due to having a fuel efficient vehicle that gets great gas mileage. :( No good deed goes unpunished in North Carolina, apparently! Will be hanging on to my 2007 NON-plug in Prius for a while longer until they work out a more fair way for plug in hybrid drivers to pay for the road maintenance here. Like maybe basing it on your odometer reading, and actually charge for the wear and tear you actually cause on the road, not penalizing drivers for buying cars that actually use less gas.
I have a Prius prime and get
I have a Prius prime and get fantastic milage. Would recommend to any one. Only downfall it is low to ground. i have 17 miles on car in my ownership of 2019
I've heard many people
I've heard many people complain they cannot get 25 EV-only miles as the gas engine kicks in even in regular driving or they turn the defroster on. The Volt goes 51 miles on EV alone regardless of what you turn on or how fast you are coasting. I currently have a Bolt EV and the lease will soon be up. Thinking about the Prius Prime or the even better RAV4 Prime coming out with 39 EV only miles, plus 302 hp. Did Toyota fix the issue of the gas engine coming on while STILL having battery power?
I've heard many people
I've heard many people complain they cannot get 25 EV-only miles as the gas engine kicks in even in regular driving or they turn the defroster on. The Volt goes 51 miles on EV alone regardless of what you turn on or how fast you are coasting. I currently have a Bolt EV and the lease will soon be up. Thinking about the Prius Prime or the even better RAV4 Prime coming out with 39 EV only miles, plus 302 hp. Did Toyota fix the issue of the gas engine coming on while STILL having battery power?
If you are driving in cold
If you are driving in cold weather, the engine will kick on to produce heat, unless you use the heated seats only. On my Prius Prime, I usually turn on the heated seat and get out of the house on gas for a few miles to heat up the cabin and turn it back to pure EV mode. I work about 21 miles each way (total 42 miles round trip), and in the Spring and Summer I almost made it home on pure electric alone. Of course I took the city route instead of highway route and drive like an old man.