Though it has reportedly been delayed by six months, the 2016 Toyota Prius may get new features that set up apart in the hybrid field, including all-wheel drive. That’s the latest from a report by Automotive News, which says a lithium-ion battery pack is probably also on tap.
Due to diminishing returns on hybrid fuel economy, engineers have already said to expect perhaps as little as a 10% increase in MPG. That would keep the Prius on top with a 55 MPG rating, but Toyota has decided that isn’t enough in a market where there’s now a hybrid version of most vehicles. So it’s looking to up the ante, offering features other hybrids don’t yet have, like wireless charging and all-wheel drive, which could come be borrowed from the new 2015 Lexus NX 300h. Two different battery pack options could also be on the table; the standard and affordable nickel-hydride battery pack, and a costlier lithium-ion battery, though how that benefits consumers I’m not exactly sure.
Looks like buyers will have plenty of options when it comes to the next generation of America’s most-popular hybrid.There’s lots of technology coming to the 2016 Prius for sure, but is this because Toyota is unable to come up with the fuel economy ratings it hoped for? Or are they trying to broaden the appeal of the Prius in a world where buyers are dorking-out over the high-tech Tesla Model S?
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Source: Porsche
