EV Owners in California to Feel the Shock of Higher Electricity Rates

Woe betide the electric car. Outpaced by their petrol-powered cousins in the 1900s, saddled with heavy and potentially dangerous batteries in the 1970s and crushed in the name of the Almighty Dollar in the 1990s, it’s been a rough road from there to here.

And now, on the dawn of a new age where electric cars seem poised to take their rightful place alongside gasoline cars, the electricity companies are about to throw a wrench into the works. If you live in California and intend to buy a plug-in hybrid Toyota Prius or Chevrolet Volt or an all-electric Nissan Leaf, you could be in for a...shock.

If the energy giants have their way, the Chevy Cobalt, which would have to rate on my list as one of the least desirable cars built by GM, is more economical to own or operate than any of the above. The reason?

Essentially, The California government has approved its energy providers to impose higher rates on customers who exceed, “typical household levels” of energy use all in the name of conservation. So if, for example, you spend eight hours a night recharging your electric car, you’ll find yourself classed as one of these excess customers.

Wham, bam, the electricity companies charge you more than Mr. Joe Public next door who drives a Toyota Sienna and still has to pay for the good oil. And contrary to what you may of heard, it doesn’t matter if you recharge your car at night when the rates are lower; you’re still gonna take a hit to your hip pocket.

And it’s not like the California legislature is rushing to correct this oversight.

Wally Tyner, the James and Lois Ackerman Professor of Agricultural Economics, said that to make the Volt more economical than the Prius or the Cobalt, oil prices would have rise to between $171 and $254 per barrel, depending on which electricity pricing system is being used. Californians for example, pay an average of 14.42 cents per kilowatt hour, which is about 35 percent higher than the national average.

"People who view the Volt as green will pay $10,000 more over the lifetime of the car because it's green," Tyner said. "Most consumers will look at the numbers and won't pay that."

So until you’ve taken a pen and paper and worked out the real cost of owning an EV in California, maybe keep that Geo Metro for a while longer.

By Tristan Hankins

Source: Purdue University

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Toyota Prius blossoms into...Chrysler 300 with Custom Makeover

From our 2011 Tokyo Auto Salon "Strange But True" files comes this custom creation of what appears to be a second generation (judging by the interior door panels) Toyota Prius hybrid wearing a...Chrysler 300 front end. The show car also features sliding rear doors, lowered suspension, larger five-spoke alloy wheels, Chrysler 300-style tail lights and a high-end audio-visual system that replaces the rear seats. More pictures after the break.

Photos: Phil Alex / Carscoop

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VIDEO: 2012 Toyota Prius V Minivan Presentation and Driving Footage

In a move that was more expected than surprising given the success of the Prius over the years, Toyota launched the first addition to the Prius family, the V-branded minivan, and announced an upcoming compact hatchback, previewed by the Prius C concept study, at the 2011 Detroit Motor Show. The two models will join the regular Prius hatchback and its forthcoming plug-in version in the North American market.

The production Prius V seen in the videos after the jump, is a practical five-seat minivan based off the hatchback version of Toyota's popular hybrid model. It uses the same 1.8-litre petrol engine and Hybrid Synergy Drive tech offering 50% more luggage space than its smaller counterpart, while returning an estimated 42 mpg city, 38 mpg highway and 40 mpg combined. The Prius V will go on sale in North America in late summer 2011 as a 2012 model year.

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Toyota Prius C Hybrid Concept will Spawn a Production Model in 2012

Along with the new Prius V minivan, the Detroit Show also welcomed the world premiere of the Prius C Concept, which will provide the inspiration for the next Prius Family member that Toyota plans to launch in the first half of next year.

The Japanese automaker said that the production version of the Prius C will be smaller, more affordable and with even greater fuel efficiency than the regular Prius. According to Toyota's claims, the Prius C will deliver the highest mpg of any available hybrid model without a plug in North America.

"The Prius c Concept, with c representing a “city”-centric vehicle, will appeal to young singles and couples who want an eco-sensitive, high-mileage, fun-to-drive Prius," Toyota said in a statement.

The Japanese company did not provide any other details on its entry-level Prius concept.

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2011 Detroit Show: All-New Toyota Prius V Minivan Hybrid

Toyota is expanding its family of Prius models with the presentation of the all-new Prius V minivan that will join the current, third-generation Prius as well as the forthcoming Prius Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle (PHV), starting from late summer 2011.

The Prius V shares the same platform and hybrid drivetrain as the regular, five-door model, however, Toyota claims the minivan will feature over 50-percent more interior cargo space than the current Prius.

According to the Japanese automaker, the new model "has been designed from the ground up, with a shape that evolved from Prius rather than being an elongated version."

Inside, the Prius V offers seating for five with increased headspace and visibility, as well as 34.3 cubic feet of cargo space. The 60/40 split, folding rear seats allow for four different seat arrangements, while a fold-flat front-passenger seat allows for longer cargo.

In a first for a Toyota vehicle, the Prius V will offer an available lightweight resin moon roof with retractable sunshades, boasting a 40-percent reduction in weight compared to conventional glass roofs of the same size.

Furthermore, the hybrid minivan will also be the first vehicle to offer Toyota's all new, Entune multi-media system that debuted last week at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The new system supports mobile apps, such as Bing, OpenTable, and movietickets.com, as well as allowing access to travel-related services, such as live weather, traffic, fuel information (location and price), stocks, news and sports.

As mentioned, the Prius V features the same hybrid drivetrain as the regular Prius matting a 1.8-liter Atkinson-cycle gasoline engine with an electric motor.

Toyota said the Prius V will deliver estimated EPA fuel economy ratings of 42 mpg city, 38 mpg highway and 40 mpg combined.

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