Cars - For Car Enthusiasts

But the prius is not built the way you are explaining - up until recently, there was no prius plug-in. What you are arguing for is exactly like that Chevy Volt. Daily EV use, long-distance capability. The standard prius can do something like 1.5mi of range at light throttle application (like 'you're going to get shot at' acceleration speeds), from a full battery.

I could make the same types of arguments with engines, and the fact that tiny explosions happen a foot away from the passenger compartment, every second, for the life of the vehicle, regardless of factors like how economical it is to drive that vehicle, or how scarce fuel becomes. Whereas batteries can be recycled and refurbished, making the argument of creating new batteries less of a viable argument day by day.

Public transport is important, but unless the average consumer can also drop a few mill on helping build that infrastructure faster, it's out of our control. Vote for it, but that's about all you can do.

I'm not 'not seeing the big picture', I'm telling you that a company has lied to you about its intentions and what is best for the potential customers.

I used to own a first gen, first year, Nissan Leaf. Thing was damn amazing - large cargo capacity, enjoyable driving experience, charging the battery cost me just ~$1.25 to go around 75 miles. It was the pioneer of affordable mass-market EVs, and I expected Toyota of all competitors to jump in the most aggressively and not let Nissan steal the slow. A decade later, they have just one true EV model in their lineup for NA. They spent damn near 30 years sitting on the idea, and didn't bite. Using the popularity of the prius to push back their R&D, and aiding that with legal bullshit and disinformation. They have only now shifted strategies since they realized that it's no longer viable.

I can be both pissed off at a bad company, and also hopeful for the future. It's not one or the other.