Now I'm getting really stupidly sensible.

never ever seen or come across one and i bet they aint cheap. servicing is probably main dealer or specialist (if you can find one)

found a review here

Only thing I know about them is Merseyside Plod have a couple. Seem to be well equipped, but a Dibble I was talking to said "They don't half slow down when the blues and twos are on, so we just use them for visiting people.."

What's sensible about a car that costs a lot for what it is, probably isn't any more fuel efficient than a bargey Diesel and has a mentally expensive battery pack as a service item?

A Honda badge? Plus I'll wager Honda will cover the battery pack for the next few years too.

The Pious battery appears to be one from a Land Cruiser, and Toyota cover it for life. They only give the normal warranty on the battery for the petrol engine though.

I do recall reading about the Prius' battery warranty when my father-in-law bought one. In California, the battery warranty had to be bolstered from the standard warranty.

It is a 1.3vtec motor with a small electric motor charged by a braking regenerative system to give overtake punch, rather than like the pious that is electric with a petrol on top.

The executive spec ones look pretty cool. Should work out pretty frugal being a 1.3 but not as expensive as pious for servicing.

The concern here is that the batteries do eventually wear out. When they do, they're going to be exceptionally expensive.

The electric motor batteries are under the boot floor.

We have a fleet of the bleeding things, 3-year warrany on all batteries.

Rather then the battery costs I would worry about the replecement petrol engine costs, the kickdown revs the bollox of them even from cold.

That's driver education, or lack thereof. Fortunately, the Toyota donk is largely bulletproof. Also, it doesn't rev all that highly either. It merely sounds like it does! :)

Bollocks !! It's getting the bloddy thing to move, and tust me I know what a thrashing engine sounds like.

Toyota Prius 1.5 donk doesn't rev highly. The diesel donk in my Saab revs higher.

When the Pious appeared some reviewers claimed that the battery pack cost £4800 to replace. Given that I've not had a lithium-ion battery last much longer than five years, that seems umm "a lot of money".

Heh, it does, but hey replacing a bloody expensive battery pack instead of keeping an old Land Rover on the road is "environmentally friendly".

As Bender would say "Kiss my shiny metal ass", environmentals.

This country needs someone to stand up for the motorist, because no-one seems to at the moment.

After a quick google, it turns out I'm miles out with the above statement. 270 odd volts? Jeez.

A few years ago, I wasn't managing 60 sites or doing 40 miles / year. My priorities for a working vehicle have massively changed. This is why I've kept the 75, though.

Heh. I couldn't be arsed with all this detailing crap, but I did polish both cars using T-Cut, black colour-match wax and a cheapie Halfrauds leccy polisher recently. Good enough for me, but wouldn't win any awards.

Man if the 75 can't even be trusted to do 40 miles a year, I fully agree with your choice ;-)

Heh. Missed a K..... obviously.

Just put 'Dragons' Den' on on Dave +1.... Ling from Ling's Cars is on there.

Romeo'

You mean ME???? - Ling