For ten straight years, as the Toyota Prius steadily increased sales and transformed driver expectations, one important debate has long simmered over the automaker’s fuel-efficiency flagship: What is the plural of “Prius”?
Well, customers have voted and—much to the chagrin of Latin experts—the answer is now officially “Prii.” That’s per the results of Toyota’s “Prius Goes Plural” marketing campaign to help increase buzz for the increased number of Prius models slated to go on sale in the near-term future. As announced at this year’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the Prius family is expanding to add:
- Prius PHV (Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle)—Leveraging both a lithium-ion battery and a “conventional” Prius hybrid powertrain, the Prius PHV has the ability to deliver up to 13 miles of all-electric, no-emissions driving, at speeds of up to 60 mph; then, if its battery is depleted, it can travel hundreds of more miles while attaining expected EPA numbers of 51 mpg city/48 mpg highway/50 mpg combined.
- Prius v—Slated to debut as the roomiest dedicated hybrid on the market, the Prius v offers families 50 percent more cargo room than a standard Prius, but it’s still capable of reaching 42 mpg city/38 mpg highway/40 mpg combined.
- Prius c—Only a concept at this stage, the Prius c shows a possible Toyota hybrid specifically designed for urban living, featuring a small size, high levels of content and, of course, excellent fuel efficiency.
And naturally, the original Prius will remain as the founding member of this fuel-efficient family.
“Community has always been a big part of the Prius brand, so it was only fitting that we invite the online communities to participate in the plural discussion,” said Colin Morisako, advertising manager for Toyota. “The people have spoken—Prii will be the accepted term used to describe multiple Prius vehicles going forward.”
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