The document summarizes research from Toyota's Prius Plug-in Hybrid vehicle demonstration program. It finds that participants charged the vehicle more frequently than expected but did not realize it. Most found charging to be as convenient or more convenient than expected, and the cost of electricity to charge was less than anticipated. Driving behaviors changed with participants more closely monitoring their fuel usage, but trip activities did not need to be altered. The program demonstrated that plug-in hybrids can provide an convenient electric driving and charging experience.

1. Toyota Prius Plug-in
Toyota Prius Plug-in (PHV)
Demonstration Program:
In-Use Consumer Research
Mary Nickerson, Advanced Technology Vehicles
National Manager
The Time is Now: Case Studies in Real-World Deployment
1

2. Consumer Concerns
Consumers Acceptance
• Consumers have HIGH ANXIETY on range of new
powertrains
• Many are concerned with charging cost, convenience
and the time it takes to charge
Limited Driving Range 73.06%
Time It Takes To Charge 69.09% Top reasons for not
Cost Of Electricity 64.04%
Availability of Electrical Outlets 63.46%
considering PHV
Problems With Battery 58.89%
(expect EV to be similar
after consumer
Inconvenience Of Plugging It In 57.74%
education)
Electricity Supply 50.82%
Source: 2010 Alt Fuels Study
2

3. Sustainable Mobility
3

4. Plug-in Demo Program
• Global demonstration program began in
late 2009, more than 160 vehicles in US
• Partner Placements
• Consumer Research
• Allows Toyota the opportunity to inform,
educate and prepare customers for the
electrification of the automobile
– In particular, Plug-in Hybrids
4

5. Prius Plug-In Specifications
HV Battery
Electric Vehicle Charger Assembly
Engine
Household
Outlet
AC 110 V to 240 V
Electric Motor Electric Vehicle Charger
Cable Assembly
Engine 98 HP (73 kW)
Max. Output
MG2 80 HP (60 kW)
Max. Speed Approx. 62 mph (100 km/h)
In EV Driving Mode
Range Approx. 13 miles (21 km )
Power Source Household Electrical Outlets
Charging Time Approximately 3 hrs (110 V)
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6. Demo Research Goals
• Gauge public acceptance of Plug-ins
• Evaluate vehicle performance and user
experience in widely varying environments
and usage profiles
• Determine how ~13 mi. EV range meets
customer expectations vs. cost premium
• Test 1st gen Li-ion battery performance
6

7. Research Methodology
• Two locations: Silicon and San Fernando
Valley
– 5 waves of 20 interviews each, 3 waves of
interviews completed to date
• Customers educated on Plug-in operation
• 6 week drive program, required to replace
daily driver
• Pre, during and post surveys on usage,
behavior, interest, and acceptance
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8. Sample Demographics
Memo: Hybrid
Total Sample
Intenders
% Male 63% 46%
Median Age 45 46
Families 67% 46%
Children <13 55% 31%
College Educated 87% 60%
Median Income $130K $87.5K
Access to Plug @
30% 20%
Home AND Work
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9. Alt. Powertrain Familiarity
Alternative
Powertrain
Familiarity
Top
2
Box
20%
10%
0%
EV PHV
General
Market Hybrid
Intenders PHV
Sample-­‐Pre
Drive
Source:
General
Market
and
Hybrid
Intenders
from
Synovate
Alt
Fuels
Research
(Sep
2010),
PHV
Sample
from
PHV
Drive
Program
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10. Fewer PHV Concerns
EV/PHV
Battery
Concerns
Top
2
Box
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Limited
driving Availability
/ Time
it
takes
to Problems
with Electricity
supply Cost
of
electricity Energy
consumed Inconvenience
of Safety
of
battery
range
in
electric-­‐ access
to charge battery /
environmental plugging
it
in /
electric
vehicle
only
mode electrical
outlets concern
EV PHV
10

11. Charge More Than Expected
Mean
#
of
Times
Plugged
in
Over
2
Week
Period
20
15
10
Expected
Weeks
1-­‐2
Weeks
3-­‐4
Weeks
5-­‐6
5
0
Total
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12. But Don’t Realize It…
Reaction
to
Actual
Frequency
of
Plugging-­‐In
100% (after
2
weeks)
75%
50%
25%
0%
Less
then
you
thought About
as
much
as
you More
then
you
thought
you
would
have
to thought
you
would
have you
would
have
to
to
12

13. Convenient as Expected or Better
Charging
Expectations Charging
Convenience
100% 100%
75% 75%
At
2
Weeks At
4
Weeks
50% 50% At
6
Weeks
25% 25%
0% 0%
About
what
you Easier
than
you More
difficult
than The
s ame
l evel
of More
c onvenient Less
c onvenient
than
expected
i t
would thought
i t
would
be you
thought
i t convenience
a s than
a s
previous
2 as
previous
2
weeks
be would
be previous
2
weeks weeks
13

14. Electricity Cost Less than Expected
Change
in
Electric
Bill
$200
$100
$0
Total
Pre-­‐Demo Expected Actual
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15. Biggest Changes in Monitoring
Changes in driving behavior vs. 2 weeks Prior - Mean Summary
1=No Change & 10=Extreme Change
Expect
6.0
At 2
5.0 Weeks
At 4
4.0 Weeks
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0
Monitoringfuel Monitoring fuel Accelerating in Where you General driving Merging on the General Where you
economy levels general park at home highway braking park at work
(MPG)
15

16. Conclusions
• For very knowledgeable, educated,
affluent shoppers with home charging
access, the Prius Plug-in experience was:
– Surprisingly convenient to charge
– Less costly to charge than expected
– Very impactful on gasoline consumption
– And forced very little trip change behavior
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