A little bit of clarification might be in order here.  A standard hybrid engine is an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) that supplies all of the power, hooked up to a battery that saves power that it would normally waste, and an electric motor that helps drive the vehicle.  The electric motor can run alone, but usually only at low speeds, and not for a long time.

The electric motor serves as a large generator that not only takes power from the axle driven by the ICE, but also captures power from braking that would normally be released as heat.  In addition, it turns the ICE off when it isn’t needed, such as when you stop, and turns it back on smoothly when it is needed.  This combination makes the ICE up to 40 percent more efficient.

The Plug-in Electric Vehicle (PHEV), on the other hand, has a bigger battery and a larger, more powerful electric motor that is capable of running the car by itself.  In the Prius, the electric motor can reportedly go up to 62 mph by itself, and the range of the lithium-ion battery is around 12 miles.

So, if you drive less than 6 miles to work every day, and don’t go faster than 62 mph, you can drive the Prius PHEV as an electric vehicle and never use a drop of gas.  Then, you drive the Prius PHEV as a standard hybrid.  There is talk of increasing the range the car can be driven without gasoline, but that means a larger battery.  This produces less cargo space and more curb weight.  The higher weight affects handling and fuel consumption.

The price may be a problem, but the math might work out for a lot of people.  The price is rumored to be around $48,000.  They will probably figure out a way to make it not cost as much without sacrificing quality by the time it goes into production, though.

It could still save money, for example, for a person who drives 6 miles to work and back every day.  They would spend almost no money for gas.  Then, the miles they did drive would be somewhere around the 50 to even 60 mpg mark.

We don’t really know how any of this will turn out yet.  Toyota is already building a pre-order database on the internet, though, so it’s certain that the car will go on sale by next year.  They have an interview with someone who test-drove it and got 70 mpg in combined driving.  We are guessing that’s where the number eventually ends up.

From there, the math is easy.  You simply add up your monthly expenditure for car payment and gas with a conventional car, and do the same for the PHEV.  If the total gas and payment for the PHEV comes out cheaper than the same for a standard vehicle, then it is a bargain.

Get those calculators ready.

Advertised Asking price – $6,995-

Miles: 167,723

This Prius is a one owner car, no history of accidents and a clean carfax report.  The car is tan in color with a tan interior. The engine is the economical and green Hybrid gas electric system matched to a CVT automatic that drives the front wheels. The car has been detailed inside and out and is ready to go, with the Prius you can expect good gas economy and a responsive high tech car.

This car features – AM/FM compact disk player, cruise control, key-less entry, power steering, climate control, air conditioning, driver air bag, passenger air bag, child proof door locks, navigation system, alloy wheels, panic button, power door locks, power windows, CD changer, anti lock brakes, cloth interior, power mirrors and climate control.

Contact the dealer – Cedar Auto Group 1045 E Tallmadge Ave Akron, Ohio 44310 for more information on this car, to arrange an inspection or test drive.