Toyota Prius plug-in prototype averaging 65 mpg

Finally you started to talk some sense. At least partially. The key wrong thing is swapping a gasoline engine with a diesel in a plug-in hybrid. That's absolutely pointless. Range-extending engines in PHEVs are meant to work only occasionally so they had to be as cheap as possible to offset the price increase caused by the battery a bit. Meanwhile, it makes no sense to use complex diesels where they're never gonna be the key propulsion. To make diesels exhaust "clean", you need a standard catalyst, a DPF and a NOx reductor. To make the engine modern, ultra-high pressure common rail fuel supply is necessary as is the heavier and pricey engine block, variable vane turbocharger and an intercooler. It's like employing a certified professional demanding huge salary for some part time lame job. Meanwhile, you can use simple, naturally aspirated port injection light petrol engine running Atkinson cycle, working at optimum fuel efficiency revs and just tune it's ECU for stringiest emission standards. ||| Second thing I can't agree is the point of "waiting for hydrogen". We don't have production-ready efficient fuel cells (and no fuel cell can beat simple 100-year-old tandem of a battery and an electric motor), don't have affordable storage tanks and then, making hydrogen by means of electrolysis introduces unnecessary efficiency losses and we don't have infrastructure. Forget it.

Will sell like hot cakes due to the previous Prius model's reputation as well as economy > actual desire for most commuters. Unfortunately the overall body shape being ugly is necessary for better auto coefficient, yet looks much better than out going model. So its an improvement.

I find it insane that we give MPG ratings to cars that aren't solely powered on gasoline/diesel. It is high time that there are more economy rating types. For example, Chevy Volt - 64km / 8.8kWh & 50mpg (4.7L/100km) -- (I dont actually know the real mpg for the Volt, Im just making this up as an example). This 65mpg deal is deceptive advertising. What happens if I go on a 1000mile trip in one day? Will I be getting 65mpg or will it be closer to 45-50mpg since I would be depleting the electric charge from my home and would be effectively using the vehicle as a standard hybrid vehicle. This and the hwy-mpg ratings are BS -- There ought be 3 numbers posted for hwy-economy, 55mph, 70mph & 85mph (I know, we should be using kmh but the govt is more pre-occupied with destroying the auto industry than contributing to science and international business simplicity). This way, you can gauge your hwy-econ based on how you drive instead of looking at 1 number that often times is lower than what you really get (especially for defensive, slower drivers like me).

As much as I appreciate your viewpoint, I would have to disagree with the CO2 emissions ratings, for electricity or gas/diesel. What if the fuel comes from Algae or Soybeans? Those production processes use CO2 to create the fuel, therefore making them "carbon neutral". Obviously they aren't completely "carbon neutral" -- depending on all of the million different variables, but still, fuel economy and battery range (in KWh) need only be posted. Glad to see Im not alone in thinking about this.

Sailor,

I think you overestimate how much people really care. In the end, if I know that BP stations had gasoline from bio-crude (for example) but it cost a little more (and I mean a little), I would probably go there, but in general, I think there are just too many variables in the whole equation. It would be nice if the US EPA website should have everything listed on in a logical format, from extraction/production, refinment, shipping, etc and the various methods involved. Also, please do not feel obligated to use the English system of measurements, I am fully capable of going back & forth between the Standard system and the English system. It's emberassing that we still use that antiquated nonsense.

I really couldn't even give a fiddling fart if I wanted to. Call me when they make a RWD performance version. ;]

Too bad that every dollar saved in fuel costs $1.10 in batteries and controllers and motors and software and ... well, you get my point. You can pay Toyota now or Exxon later - either way, you're gonna pay.

They have a long way to go to beat the 2010 VW that offers 100+ mpg without a battery the must be that will end up in a land fill.