Why can’t Toyota make a Prius Pickup Truck?

[Pat Riot]

I think a Prius Pickup would be great. Light, compact, economical. +,+,+ 

I wonder what kind of towing capability something like that might have?

[Rip Snorter]

Just a redneck reaction, those two words in combination are, (Pick one) an abomination, self cancelling, or most likely April Fool!

[Pat Riot]

I sent them an email, but haven’t heard back yet. 

[bgavin]

Who would want one?
Here in Davis (or Marin County) the difference between a Prius and a procupine is, the Prius has the pricks on the inside.

[John Kloehr]

That used to be a BMW joke.

[Pat Riot]

9 minutes ago, John Kloehr said:

That used to be a BMW joke.

Porsche joke

[Badlands Bob #61228]

Most people that have pickup trucks expect them to be able to haul and tow stuff.  I don't think the Prius platform is good for anything other than hauling a couple of passengers.  Real pickup trucks have frames.  Not unibodies.  

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

I don't think that the technology is there yet. Even though there are hybrid trucks, they're not that great. Just a WAG, but Toyota might not want to build something of questionable use. They have a reputation to protect. 

[PowderRiverCowboy]

1 hour ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

I think a Prius Pickup would be great. Light, compact, economical. +,+,+ 

I wonder what kind of towing capability something like that might have?

 Check that message out LOL

[Lone Spur Jake SASS #7728]

The reason is, Toyota isn't as stupid as Ford and GM.

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

1 hour ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

I think a Prius Pickup would be great. Light, compact, economical. +,+,+ 

I wonder what kind of towing capability something like that might have?

[PowderRiverCowboy]

They do already 
 

[Blackwater 53393]

I recall a comparison test of a used Prias and an AMC Gremlin a few years ago.

 

In the end, they used the Gremlin to tow the dead Prias to the junkyard and they crushed it by running it over with an old surplus tank.

 

The comment was, “Good riddance!”

[Pat Riot]

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

41 minutes ago, Blackwater 53393 said:

I recall a comparison test of a used Prias and an AMC Gremlin a few years ago.

 

In the end, they used the Gremlin to tow the dead Prias to the junkyard and they crushed it by running it over with an old surplus tank.

 

The comment was, “Good riddance!”

Because Roadkill.

[Calamity Kris]

[PowderRiverCowboy]

[watab kid]

8 hours ago, Rip Snorter said:

Just a redneck reaction, those two words in combination are, (Pick one) an abomination, self cancelling, or most likely April Fool!

im agreeing - prius and pickup are opposite ends of a spectrum we here in this country have no problem drawing a distinction with , but then its my gut response to a question i thought id never hear expressed out loud - might show up at some "funny car" exhibit but not in my real world , 

 

until you let the free market loose on cars again im not buyin any of the crap getting forced on us - its not right , government is suposed to protect our boarders not mandate our way of life , 

[Pat Riot]

This is rich… 

 

@watab kid have a look at the posts just above yours. Look at the 4th one up. Then look at the 2nd one above. 

[Texas Joker]

Might not be too far fetched in the VERY near future

 

 

 

https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/us-allow-california-require-half-all-trucks-be-electric-by-2035-nyt-2023-03-31/

 

 

[Earl Brasse, SASS #3562]

If they make a truck it will give you a place to put the gasoline powered generator for "on-the-go recharging" & "charge from anywhere features".

[DocWard]

 

16 hours ago, Badlands Bob #61228 said:

Most people that have pickup trucks expect them to be able to haul and tow stuff.  I don't think the Prius platform is good for anything other than hauling a couple of passengers.  Real pickup trucks have frames.  Not unibodies.  

 

Joking aside, I agree that pickups used for serious work and heavy towing should be body-on-frame construction. However, we've seen the popularity of the Honda Ridgeline for some time now. Ford now has the Maverick and Hyundai has the Santa Cruz with their small beds. When I compare the size of a new Toyota Tacoma to even a 1st Generation Tacoma, let alone an earlier Toyota, it is massive by comparison. I wouldn't be surprised to see something in the unibody category from Toyota soon, although not based on the Prius. It would meet the needs of the suburban dweller who just needs light hauling of mulch and bicycles as opposed to actually doing work with them. With the cost of body-on-frame trucks approaching new house territory, literally, they would be much cheaper as well.

[bgavin]

I have no doubt the hippies and greenies will force the widespread adoption of EVs... despite the downfalls.
If you have a friend who is an insurance adjuster, ask him all the hoops the first responders have to jump through for an EV accident for jaws of life, or on fire.

 

[Eyesa Horg]

1 hour ago, bgavin said:

I have no doubt the hippies and greenies will force the widespread adoption of EVs... despite the downfalls.
If you have a friend who is an insurance adjuster, ask him all the hoops the first responders have to jump through for an EV accident for jaws of life, or on fire.

 

Our fire dept says if it's an Ev they just secure the area and let it burn.

[bgavin]

My lodge master is an insurance fraud investigator.
He says the jaws of life cannot be used until the crew gets the VIN, and contacts a company who will tell them where to cut, and where to avoid, on the specific EV model.

Lithium burns with toxic white smoke, which fire fighters are normally taught to be non-toxic in a conventional fire.
They are instructed to let EVs burn for this reason.
EVs at fire risk are quarantined in their own special concrete bunker (at high expense) due to high fire risk for 14 days.
The tow operators are very reluctant to haul them off, for this reason.

The insurance fraud comes in with kickbacks between the wiring companies and the tow truck operators.

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967]

This chick made it happen... but with a Tesla!  

 

 

 

[Rye Miles #13621]

3 hours ago, Earl Brasse, SASS #3562 said:

If they make a truck it will give you a place to put the gasoline powered generator for "on-the-go recharging" & "charge from anywhere features".

Prius is a hybrid it doesn’t need charging like an EV. 
My neighbor has one, it’s a hatchback with a heck of alot of room in the back for a small car,

[J.D. Daily]

Before you buy an EV check out the cost of uninsured motorist & collision insurance.  I've read & heard that if the battery pack is damaged the car is totaled.  One reason is for the Tesla model S the time requirement guide to replace the battery is 315 hours.  At $150/hr. that $47,250

I can confirm how fire dept's deal with EV & hybrid fires.  My son says the best way to deal with them is to submerge them in a body of water.

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

3 hours ago, J.D. Daily said:

Before you buy an EV check out the cost of uninsured motorist & collision insurance.  I've read & heard that if the battery pack is damaged the car is totaled.  One reason is for the Tesla model S the time requirement guide to replace the battery is 315 hours.  At $150/hr. that $47,250

I can confirm how fire dept's deal with EV & hybrid fires.  My son says the best way to deal with them is to submerge them in a body of water.

Ummm…315 hours is just a tick under 8 weeks at 40hrs per week. That’s hard to believe. Who came up with that figure?

[Pat Riot]

31 minutes ago, Abilene Slim SASS 81783 said:

Ummm…315 hours is just a tick under 8 weeks at 40hrs per week. That’s hard to believe. Who came up with that figure?

Probably the service group as a joke to the warranty people…and they bought it. 

[Kid Sopris, SASS Regulator]

Prius pickup, would that be called a Prickup ?

[Pat Riot]

12 minutes ago, Kid Sopris, SASS Regulator said:

Prius pickup, would that be called a Prickup ?

Best Post Today !!!! 

[Dirty Dan Dawkins]

I think it’s a great idea. They make heavy duty maintenance carts that essentially achieve several task. One place I work in has one with a ladder rack

[watab kid]

15 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

This is rich… 

 

@watab kid have a look at the posts just above yours. Look at the 4th one up. Then look at the 2nd one above. 

got me 

[J.D. Daily]

3 hours ago, Abilene Slim SASS 81783 said:

Ummm…315 hours is just a tick under 8 weeks at 40hrs per week. That’s hard to believe. Who came up with that figure?

It was reported in the broadcast media.  It is explained that the battery module is an important structural component.  If the model S was designed to replace the battery module easily it wouldn't be uni-body design.  It would use body on frame which would weight a lot more which significantly reduces range.  Range is an important sales feature.  The quality control & derating the capacity insure that an extremely infinitesimal risk of under warranty battery pack failures; so, Tesla has a low probability of having to replace it under warranty.  So, it's consumers & insurance co's that have to pay for the 315 hr's to replace it.  The cost of the battery pack wo/a core plus the 42k$ labor makes it a no brainier to by a used or new EV when the battery pack is damaged in a collision.