With Toyota Prius Prime, Onslaught of EVs… Supply Drives Demand

Research that touts the doubling of sales of electrified vehicles in the US notes with asterisks that the growth reflects runaway supply than demand.

The new 2021 Toyota Prius Prime offers the same Hybrid and “EV” only options as the BMW 530e, the Volvo Recharge series, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and soon pretty much every carmaker.

Bottom line … whether you want an electrified car or not … in the next 5 years all manufacturers will be incorporating electric power into every car.

Toyota Prius Prime was ahead of the Plug-In Hybrid pack when it was introduced back in 2016 … seizing on the format as the training wheels for future electric car buyers.

The newest edition offers a 122 horsepower combined 1.8 liter 4 cylinder gas and dual electric motor powertrain, delivering 52 combined mpg and 133 MPGe. The EV only range is just 25 miles which with regular plug-ins and mostly local driving extends the range per tank to an impressive 640 miles.

With a base price of $34,000 for the top tier Prius Prime Limited, this Toyota still qualifies for a $4,500 electric Vehicle Tax Credit.