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| Image via Road and Track |
According to Inside Line, Toyota has just launched their smallest hybrid -- the Aqua (in Japan) / Prius C (in the US) -- priced at ¥1.69M / $21,703 USD. And then there's the fuel efficiency rating.
With a 75 hp gas engine and 45kW electric motor, the Aqua reportedly gets 83 mpg on the Japanese JC08 fuel economy test. In the US, according to the ICCT's online fuel calculator, this would translate to a CAFE-rated 86 mpg fuel efficiency, but that's not quite right. The fuel economy will probably come in between 54 and 62 mpg. (According to one blog, the current Prius is rated at 76.7mpg on the JC08, but 51 mpg EPA-city.)
It's entirely plausible that when the Prius C hits the US, it will be much lower than the $21,703 price, as the US dollar remains near historic lows against the Yen, and it should eventually increase. If they price it at $19,703, that's a 10% discount, but if the Yen rises to pre-recession levels, Toyota's profit margin will match that of its Japanese market price.
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| Chart via Trading Economics |
If the price is below $20,000 AND gets 55 mpg, this may end up being the hottest-selling Prius. I know I'd like to get one! At my current annual mileage, that would equate to just 6 trips to the gas station a year. I'd break even in year 4, compared to my current vehicle. :D
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