2004 Toyota Prius

Welcome to the Future!

Environmentally Friendly: The BEST emissions rating of ANY gasoline fueled car available today. Prius produces 90% fewer smog-forming pollutants (NOx and hydrocarbons) and 50% fewer heat-trapping greenhouse gases (CO2) than a conventional internal combustion engine. Driving a Prius from Alaska to Florida produces fewer smog-forming emissions than using one can of air freshener. Some Prius parts are made of renewable sugar cane-based "bio-plastic" (polylactic acid), an alternative to petroleum-based materials. Since bio-plastics are made primarily from plants that sequester atmospheric CO₂, they can contribute to the reduction of global warming.

Super High MPG: EPA ratings are 60 City / 51 Highway / 55 Combined. The BEST MPG of ANY midsize sedan. Yes, it’s a MIDSIZE car, not a compact! Drive over 10 hours on a tank of gas. Prius goes twice as far on a gallon of gasoline as the average car in the U.S.; if all vehicles did that well, it would save the U.S. 1.5 billion barrels of imported oil a year. Compared with the first generation Prius, the second-generation (2004) Prius is 11 percent larger, offers 15 percent better acceleration yet also gets 15 percent better fuel economy.

Gasoline/Electric Hybrid: Prius’ high efficiency and strong power come from the combination of a 76-horse power, 4-cylinder gasoline engine and a 67-horse power electric motor. Aerodynamic too: it has one of the lowest coefficients of drag ever for a production car: 0.26.

No Plug! The batteries that power the electric motor are recharged automatically through normal driving and braking, so you never have to plug in for recharging. The 2004 Prius has 370 patents on the components of its advanced technology.

"Stealth" Mode: Prius’ computer decides when the gasoline engine is necessary and when the electric motor should run. For example, at speeds under 40 MPH, Prius will often operate in the super-quiet "stealth" mode, running on the electric motor only. You can travel up to 3.6 miles without the gas engine ever starting up. At a stoplight you’ll think the car is off. Shhhhh…

Energy Monitoring Display: As you drive, watch to see when the computer has decided to turn the internal combustion engine on or off, the electric motor on or off, and when the battery is being recharged.

Coolant Heat Storage: A thermos-type container stores three liters of coolant at close to boiling temperature for up to three days. When the Power button is pressed, hot coolant is injected into the engine, avoiding a cold start. This reduces emissions at startup, as well as wear and tear on the engine.

Continuously Variable Transmission: No fuel-wasting, hurky jerky surges of the transmission as it changes gears, just one smooth acceleration, all the way up to your cruising speed.

--- Optional Features ---

Smart Entry and Smart Start: Without touching the key fob (leave it in your pocket!) you can unlock Prius and start it. Prius senses the fob in your pocket; just push the "Power" button on the dashboard to start the car!

Navigation System: Using Global Positioning and an on-board DVD database, the display screen can show a map of where you currently are, list nearby sites of interest that you request, or provide directions to your destination.

Voice Commands: Talk to Prius with commands such as: "I’m Hungry" produces a list of nearby restaurants on the Navigation System. "Home" prompts the Navigation System to speak to you, giving you turn-by-turn directions home. "Louder" turns up the stereo volume. "70 degrees" sets the interior thermostat. Many, many more!

Bluetooth Hands-Free Phone: If your hand-held cell phone is Bluetooth enabled, the Prius hands-free cell phone system will automatically connect itself to your hand-held phone with a wireless connection. So when you’re in the Prius you can place and receive calls via the hands-free system built in to the car. Callers reach you at your hand-held cell phone number.

Here's a few pics of my new 2004 Millennium Silver Toyota Prius

An AT-SULEV-PZEV 

(Advanced Technology - Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle - 

Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle)

My new Illinois Environmental license plate!

Here's my latest image of the Regeneration and MPG LCD screen.  Note the average = 60.5 MPG for a 515 mile tank - beating the epa average estimate of 55 mpg!).  

Here's the image that shows the energy monitor screen.  The blue bars in the battery icon indicate the charge level of the batteries.  The darkened bars from the battery to the elec. motor and the engine to the motor light up as energy is drawn from or sent to the battery, or drawn from the gas engine to the synchronized continual transmission and from there to the drive train.  Since the car was at rest (good idea, yes?) when I took this picture, none of those are lit.

Here's a sample of the navigation screen view, taken when the Prius was parked in front of our house (HOME), which shows street names, parks, restaurants (fork and knife - lots of Italian ones  - with a Mexican one too), schools, and gas stations near us.  When the nav screen is on, voice recognition commands can be used for hands-free changes to the screen display.

Here's a view of the "Air Conditioner" screen for controlling heating, cooling, defrosting, fan speed and outlet.  Changes can be made from the voice activated recognition option too.  For example, just say "Temperature 72" to raise the temp to that level.  The heating system will automatically respond.

Mileage Stats

Put into service on February 28, 2004

Look at what a good tailwind can do!

For additional information, visit the official Toyota Prius website at http://www.toyota.com/prius/

Any questions?  Email Jim Stankevitz at jimstanke@comcast.net