Stunning Prius Prime could change the hybrid game for good

You won't believe what Toyota has added to the new Prius this year - it may even convince you to take one for a spin.

If you’ve ever considered getting behind the wheel of a Prius, there’s no better time than now. According to a CS Monitor report, the 2017 Toyota Prius Prime has finally arrived, boasting a range of stunning new features that are sure to please even the pickiest drivers.

The new Prius Prime addresses a laundry list of issues drivers have held with earlier models of the car. It has a longer electric driving range at 22 miles, better handling, and a staggering 120 MPGe fuel efficiency.

Perhaps the biggest development in the new Prius, however, is the ability to lock the car into EV mode completely. Even when the gas is floored, the car will remain in motion purely because of the powerful second generator electric engine, which acts as a supplemental traction motor.

The car is fitted with a one-way sprag clutch, which allows the driver to effortlessly switch between electric and traditional drive modes. When the battery’s power is running low, the car automatically switches back to normal Hybrid Synergy Drive mode.

The appearance of the car is not much different from previous models, with some of the biggest changes coming in under the hood. In addition to improvements to the engine and clutch, various parts of the planetary-gear torque-split apparatus have been redesigned and reinforced.

The Prime replaces last year’s Prius plug-In, bringing improvements to the car’s electric drive capabilities. The Prime can be charged from any AC outlet in just 5.5 hours. The company believes that the Prius Prime has the ability to travel more than 600 miles on a single charge and a full tank of gas.

Toyota estimates that the new Prius Prime is capable of bringing as much as 50 percent of Americans to work and back without using any gasoline. And if drivers charge the vehicle while at the workplace, this proportion could rise as high as 80 percent.

The new Prius Prime seems like it could be a huge game changer in the hybrid car market. A Toyota press release describing the full list of new features on the Prius Prime can be found here.