Currently, in its fourth generation, the Prius is nowhere near as popular as its predecessor, especially if we’re comparing it to the model that started the hybrid craze in the late 1990s / early 2000s. Despite going through a rough patch, the Prius will live to see another iteration, per the words of Toyota’s product and marketing boss.

Speaking with Autocar, Andrea Carlucci said: “It has to keep a role, and we have to make sure it will always be a front-runner with that kind of technology, so – although I can’t disclose much – we don’t want to waste our icon, even for the future.”

It’s too soon to say how the Prius will evolve for its next generation and whether it will continue to be sold both as a hybrid and as a plug-in hybrid. Carlucci only said the once hugely successful electrified model will accentuate Toyota’s image as a “leader in electrification” and an important promoter of hybrid vehicles.

A new E3 platform tailored to hybrids and EVs has been announced, but it will be used only in Europe, and we can’t imagine the Prius being discontinued in the United States. Having been around since 2015, the Prius mk4 is likely to be replaced sometime in 2023 or even sooner. Carlucci strongly hinted the model will remain for sale in Europe as Toyota sees growth potential thanks to improved charging infrastructure, suggesting the PHEV model will soldier on as well.

As a final note, perhaps Toyota missed the opportunity to call its new wave of electric vehicles Prius rather than Beyond Zero, since the bZ4X crossover doesn’t have the most exciting name while Prius is far more recognizable.

Source: Autocar

The post Toyota remains committed to Prius by promising new generation appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

You don’t necessarily have to order one in Midnight Black as the Prius Nightshade is also offered in Super White or Silver, with all three being metallic paints. Regardless of the body color, all cars get black accents for the headlights, side mirror caps, door handles, rear deck spoiler, and shark fin antenna. Going for the AWD-e version means you’ll be stuck with 15-inch wheels whereas the FWD model rides on a larger 17-inch set, with both featuring a dark look as well.

Images of the interior are not available at the moment of writing, but Toyota says it has added power-adjustable heated front seats wrapped in SofTex, which has also been used to cover the heated steering wheel. The center console adopts a semi-gloss black finish, while in the back there’s a retractable tonneau cover for the cargo area.

As standard, the Prius Nightshade version gets a seven-inch touchscreen and a six-speaker JBL sound system. To make it worth your while, Toyota throws in a three-month SiriusXM subscription and other goodies. On the safety side, there’s everything from a pre-collision system (with pedestrian detection) and lane departure alert to road sign assist and even bicyclist detection as part of the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0.

Pricing details have not been disclosed, but we do know Toyota plans to build only 3,400 units and these will begin to arrive at dealers in the US from fall 2021. Nearly two million Prius vehicles have been sold in the United States so far, out of a total of more than six million delivered worldwide since the model’s launch back in 1997 when it revolutionized the hybrid segment.

Source: Toyota

The post 2022 Toyota Prius Nightshade Edition unveiled with all-black look appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

We are not surprised the Prius will be getting a series of black styling accents considering most of the other US-spec Toyota models have been launched in this sinister-looking derivative. It all started nearly three years ago with the 4Runner Nightshade before the Camry and Highlander received a similarly dark look a few months later. The Corolla joined the fray in August 2019 while the Tacoma, Tundra, C-HR, Avalon, and Sequoia each added a Nightshade edition in 2020.

Details about the Prius Nightshade are not available at this point, but we won’t have to wait much longer to discover all the details. Toyota says the official reveal is scheduled to take place on June 2 and the special edition will be available for the 2022 model year. It will be interesting to see upon which trim level it’ll be based seeing as how some of the previous Nightshade models started off as a Limited model while others were based on a lesser trim.

What to expect? A blacked-out front grille is likely on the agenda, and we can already see the dark badging on the tailgate. The same discreet look will probably be applied to the wheels and fog light surrounds, while darkened chrome accents are on the agenda as well. Toyota could give buyers the freedom to choose from several paint colors, all of which will be combined with the black accents.

Being a special edition, the 2022 Prius Nightshade will be available in limited numbers. To get an idea about how many will be made, the similar Tacoma and Tundra were capped at 5,000 units each while the Sequoia was more exclusive, at just 2,500 examples. The premium over the regular trim level is unlikely to be significant given the relatively modest changes.

Source: Toyota

The post 2022 Toyota Prius Nightshade special edition teased, debuts soon appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.