rumors
nmpriusman said:
Is it that Americans don't pay attention to machine manuals and violate their vehicles, and this is the reason the 01-03 models in Europe saw a fold down rear seat, but America didn't, and that Japan and Europe have an EV for the 04 models and America doesn't...anyone? :?
supposed word from a Toyota exec. for
the fold-down rear seat absence in
the US was because of the extra
structural weight needed to compensate
for the folded seat backs (would push
the Prius into a different weight
category for testing purposes).
rumor was more that they couldn't
have a battery in the passenger
compartment (what would happen with
the seats folded down). but, since
the 2004 has the folding seats, guess
that rumor is squashed.
The rumor on the 2004 regarding the
EV button in the US is that there's
some EPA regulation that the user
cannot defeat emissions control
equipment or modify the fuel type
from the OEM version without proper
paperwork, which wasn't filed. Who
knows if this rumor is correct, as
the one for the rear seats wasn't
correct.
Another rumor I've heard for the lack
of EV button in the US is that becuase
of the long warranty on the hybrid
system in the US (compare to Australia,
for example), that the long discharges
of the battery would not be a good
thing for battery life and the
warranty would not be a good offer
from Toyota's standpoint. It could
also be that prolonged battery use
would require the engine to run more,
and not as cleanly, therefore losing
the SULEV/AT-PZEV emissions standing.