Toyota announced the introduction of the Prius Plug-in Hybrid, a plug-in version of the third-generation Prius gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle, into key markets. Approximately 600 units will be introduced in Japan, the United States, and Europe over the first half of 2010, for use by governments and businesses. The Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid can be charged using an external power source such as a household electric outlet, and is the first vehicle produced by Toyota to be propelled by a lithium-ion battery. Due to the battery’s expanded capacity, the vehicle has an extended electric-vehicle driving range, enabling use as an electric vehicle (EV) for short distances, while for medium and long distances, after battery power depletes to a level no longer allowing EV driving mode, the vehicle functions as a conventional gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle (HV). Thus, use is not constrained by remaining battery power or availability of battery-charging infrastructure.
In Japan, the Prius Plug-in Hybrid has a cruising range in EV mode of approximately 23 km with a fully charged battery, and an average PHV fuel efficiency of 57km/L and CO2 emissions1 of 41 g/km under specified driving conditions combining driving performance both as an EV and as a HV.
