Toyota has officially announced pricing of the 2010 3rd generation Prius set to go on sale next month in the US.  The car is EPA rated 50 MPG combined, and offers no plug-in capability.

They have divided the car into 5 price categories:

Prius I To be released at a later date $21,000

Prius II $22,000
-- 1.8-liter Atkinson cycle engine
-- P195/65 R15 all-season tires with alloy
wheels & covers
-- Smart Key (driver's door) and Push Button
start
-- EV, Eco, and Power modes
-- Multi-Informational Display with energy
monitor and fuel consumption history
-- AM/FM/MP3 CD player with six speakers and
satellite radio capability and auxiliary
audio jack
-- Cruise control
-- STAR Safety System and active front headrest
-- Seven airbags including driver knee airbag
-- Four-wheel disc brakes
-- Tilt/telescopic steering wheel with audio and
HVAC
Controls with Touch Tracer Display
-- Six-way adjustable driver seat
-- Auto up/down on all windows
-- Color-keyed foldable power heated side
mirrors

Prius III In addition to Prius II features: $23,000
-- JBL AM/FM/MP3 six-disc CD changer with eight
speakers
-- Integrated satellite radio capability
-- Hands-free phone capability via
Bluetooth((R)) wireless technology

Prius IV In addition to Prius III features: $25,800
-- Three-door Smart Key system
-- Leather-trimmed interior
-- Heated front seats with driver lumbar support
-- Driver and front passenger water repellant
windows
-- Plasmacluster(TM) ionizer
-- Auto dimming mirror with HomeLink(R)

Prius V In addition to Prius IV features: $27,270
-- 17-inch alloy wheels and P215/45 R17 tires
-- LED headlamps with auto leveling and washers
-- Integrated foglamps

Optional Equipment:

Navigation Package $1,800
Voice-actived
touch-screen
DVD navigation system
With JBL AM/FM/MP3
four-disc CD changer,
eight speakers,
integrated satellite
radio capability, XM
NavTraffic capability,
hands-free phone
capability and music
streaming via Bluetooth
wireless technology
and integrated backup
camera

Solar Roof Package $3,600
Includes Navigation
Package equipment
plus power tilt/slide
moonroof with Solar
Powered Ventilation
System and Remote Air
Conditioning System

Advanced Technology Package $4,500
Includes Navigation
Package equipment plus
Dynamic Radar Cruise
Control (DRCC),
Pre-Collision System
(PCS), Lane Keep Assist
(LKA), Intelligent
Parking Assist(IPA)

So buying a Prius V along with the Advanced Technology package plus $750 destination charge will cost $32,500, and the solar roof is not an option. Also buying a Prius that is not a plug-in car does not allow any tax credits.

A Chevy Volt in the mid to upper 30 thousand range take off $7500 for government tax credit could very well cost the buyer less and likely be similarly equipped with creature comforts.

I am told GM is "still investigating" what if any option packages the Volt might have or if it would be one well-equipped model.

The cost of driving without gas, of course, is priceless.