It is a totally different story for “Prius.”
The model fairness wrapped up in that identify is just too beneficial to squander. For Toyota to yank the Prius could be to show its again on a quarter-century of inexperienced company citizenship constructed round spearheading a wholly new expertise.
The identify “Prius” derives from a Latin phrase that means “to go earlier than.” It indicators the engineering that made the automotive Toyota’s showcase for its most superior expertise — together with lithium ion batteries, super-slick aerodynamics, photo voltaic panels and even sun-refracting paint.
However now, Prius has taken a backseat to brighter, shinier issues — such because the Mirai hydrogen gasoline cell sedan. And shortly, an entire new lineup of Toyota EVs can be in line with the most recent trade and buyer tendencies, because the world seemingly goes gaga over automobiles with out tailpipes.
Even for individuals who nonetheless need a hybrid, fewer want a devoted, hybrid-only providing. Toyota now gives hybrid variations of a number of nameplates. In 2021, the RAV4 Hybrid was its top-selling hybrid within the U.S. by far: Clients purchased 120,983 RAV4s, however solely 33,968 Priuses (not together with 25,042 Prius Primes).
A radical revamp in efficiency or effectivity may assist hold the Prius contemporary. But when the Prius stays hybrid in an EV world, it should reside as much as its legacy by main the way in which with one thing new.
Toyota is definite to maintain the Prius identify. The query can be how Toyota will hold the automotive’s innovative.