Tesla select client at Toyota Prius

All-electric cars are significantly better than conventional hybrid vehicles in many ways and there is no doubt about it. They have much better efficiency, excellent acceleration (instant torque!), they are very quiet and smooth in driving, take us off the oil needle (rather than just slightly reduce our oil consumption), have no exhaust emissions, can “refuel” using sunlight, and require little maintenance – they don’t need to change the oil, there are no transmission problems, failed mufflers, no engine problems and emissions checks.

Of course, some of these benefits are purely environmental. Society hardly perceives rich people as an ecologically conscious part of society, but many of them actually are.

The proof is that many wealthy people buy a Toyota Prius or other hybrid cars to reduce their carbon footprint, even though they can easily afford to drive a luxury car. Of course, now that they have green cars to choose from, many are switching to fully electric cars, particularly the Tesla Model S.

A recent study by Polk Automotive found that the largest percentage of “sales gained” (sales that are made by people who have changed their brand... for Tesla, almost all sales are made by them) came from Toyota (15.5%), and most of them previously owned a Toyota Prius.

Let’s just look at the two main differences between the Model S and Prius:

1) The starting price of the Toyota Prius is $24,200, while the price of the Tesla Model S starts at $71,070, excluding benefits and deductions. The cost of the car is reduced to $63,570, after the federal tax deduction and to $61,070, after compensation from the state of California. In other words, these cars are in completely different segments.

(2) The Toyota Prius has a fuel economy of 50 mpg (4.7 l/100 km). The Tesla Model S, despite being able to accelerate from zero to 60 miles (100 km) per hour in 3.9 seconds (according to MotorTrend data), has the equivalent fuel economy of 95 mpg (2.4 l/100 km). How does such a powerful car have more than twice the fuel efficiency of a Prius? That’s because electric motors are significantly more efficient than classic gasoline engines.



Electric cars offer a much greener way of getting around, not to mention numerous other benefits, including better driving performance. However, these advantages play a big role, not only compared to hybrids, but also compared to classic gasoline vehicles. As we noted earlier, the Tesla Model S is considered the best mass-produced car in the world, largely due to the qualities that only an electric car can offer.

When it comes to directly matching electric cars with hybrids, what does the latter really have to offer today?

They boast a low initial cost of ownership, but at the same time much higher operating costs. They can offer a large range, however, many electric cars (especially the Tesla Model S) can provide a range that will cover the needs of the typical driver. And for those few days a month when you might need to make a very long trip, you can simply rent a petrol or hybrid car. As battery performance improves and the network of fast-charging stations grows, the number of trips where a gasoline car is vital begins to decline rapidly.

How many more Toyota Prius owners will defect to Tesla when it launches its 200-mile (320-kilometer) electric car, costing just $40,000? And how much will Nissan spend when it doubles the range of its $28,800 all-electric Leaf?



Apparently, electric cars will simply destroy hybrids. And it's not just hybrids -- when we have cars that are more efficient than hybrids, and also more powerful than gasoline cars at a lower price -- that's what the world calls revolutionary technology.

In fact, it’s worth noting Jay Leno’s point of view, which he outlined after testing an electric motorcycle: “If the whole world had flipped and we were in an era where electric vehicles were dominant today, who in their right mind would put up with noise, pollution, inefficiency and the huge maintenance needs of gasoline cars?” "

Source: aenergy.ru