I've been driving a Plug-In Toyota Prius for the last five days. Overall the experience was about what you'd expect -- Prius-like, but with an electrical cord running from my garage outlet to the Prius' left flank whenever I parked it.
Unlike our Long-Term Mini E, the Plug-In Prius only takes about 2 hours to fully charge. Also unlike the Mini E, it only goes about 10 miles on pure-electricity before the engine has to do most of the work (less if you're not in "Eco" mode -- which makes the car really slow).
Still, I applaud Toyota for offering this version of the Prius. For drivers with a short daily commute or minimal driving needs (as well as minimal power needs and no steep hills nearby), it's conceivable to use very little fuel when driving a Plug-In Prius. And if you take it out of "Eco" mode and suddenly decide you want to drive across the country, the car basically becomes a regular Prius, getting 50 mpg while having adequate space and power.
But this idea of powering our cars off the grid seems to be gaining momentum (for now...), and if that's the direction we're headed I can tell you things are going to be different, and not just in terms of where our motive power is coming from. Thus, I present the Top 10 Things a "Plugged-In" American Driver Will Have to Learn:





