Miley Cyrus, the daughter of singer Billy Ray Cyrus, star of the hit kid television show Hannah Montana is also a talented singer. She got a “green” Sweet 16 birthday present that is out of this world. Here dad, Billy Ray “Elvira” Cyrus gave his beautiful daughter a brand spanking new black Prius hybrid. Two weeks before that, Miley’s mom had given her a hand-me-down black Porsche Cayenne but she wasn’t impressed. So now Miley will be driving around town in her hybrid. Good for her. She is setting the right example!

About the Prius
Back in 1997, Toyota introduced the original Prius, which was the first ever mass-produced hybrid-electric vehicle. The car’s name is a Latin word means “to go before” — in this case denoting a car that was the first in what the forward thinkers at Toyota thought would eventually become the norm. Twelve years later, Toyota is rolling out its third-generation Prius, redesigned for the 2010 model year.

For the most part, Toyota is still building upon the basic Prius concept. The car still has a quirky hatchback design, it’s still powered by relatively basic nickel-metal hydride batteries, and performance numbers will likely discourage enthusiasts.

But there are a number of solid improvements and clever new features that will serve to bolster the car’s following and potentially lure new customers. These include a moonroof with solar panels, four driving modes, Intelligent Parking Assist (IPA), and steering wheel touch controls. A multi-information display panel that monitors fuel and energy consumption is also standard.

The first-generation Prius was rated 41 EPA mpg, and the second-generation model pushed that figure to 46 mpg. The 2010 model marks another significant incremental improvement to 50 miles per gallon (combined city/highway).

A larger and more powerful 1.8-liter Atkinson-cycle, four-cylinder engine powers the car. Contrary to what one might think, the larger engine actually helps improve highway mileage. By making more torque, the new engine can run at lower average rpm on the highway.

An electric water pump and a new exhaust gas recirculation system also boost efficiency. Furthermore, the engine has no belts under the hood, resulting in better fuel economy and less potential maintenance. The new transaxle and inverter are both 20 percent lighter, reducing the car’s overall weight.

Weight was also saved through use of aluminum in the hood, rear hatch, front suspension axle, and brake calipers. Lighter steel is used in the rocker inner, center pillar, and roof reinforcement.

The new Prius will offer three alternative driving modes. EV-Drive Mode allows driving on battery power alone at low speeds for about a mile, if conditions permit. There is also a Power Mode, which increases sensitivity to throttle input for a sportier feel, and an Eco Mode, which helps the driver achieve the best possible mileage.

Other energy-saving features include available LED low beams and taillights, a more efficient air conditioning system, and a unique ventilation fan that promises to reduce the need for air conditioning in the first place.

The air circulator — which is powered by solar panels — prevents the interior air temperature from rising while the vehicle is parked. This, in turn, makes cool-down time shorter when the driver returns to the vehicle.

The air-conditioning system is also capable of running with the engine off, so the driver can adjust the interior temperature for comfort before getting in the car — an industry first.

The Toyota Prius is perhaps the best hybrid on the market today!

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009 at 6:13 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.