Toyota Prius

It’s a plug-in version of the Toyota Prius, a model whose name has virtually become synonymous with the word ‘hybrid’. Since its launch in 1997, it has been the car of choice for environmentally- conscious people who have wanted to do their bit in limiting the greenhouse gas emissions from their cars.

Starting in September 2008, Toyota and its energy company partner, EDF, have been trialling Prius PHEVs under everyday driving conditions with EDF employees. The results will show drivers’ attitudes to charging their cars regularly and their requirements for charging points outside their domestic electricity supply. The development of a network of charging points is a necessity if PHEVs are to grow beyond their primary role as an urban commuter.

In May 2009, Toyota began a programme to lease 150 Prius PHEVs to selected company car fleets in Europe as part of a total plan to have 500 leased cars, including Japan and the United States, by the end of 2010. In the UK, leased PHEVs are expected on our roads early in 2010.

What have they done to the world’s favourite hybrid car?

Essentially, Toyota has added to the Prius hybrid internal combustion engine plus electric motor technology, the ability to re-charge the battery from a normal domestic electricity socket – or, in fact, from charging points at work places, in car parks or in the street.

It has also improved the batteries by replacing the current nickel-metal-hydride pack with a lithium ion one – so increasing the distance that the car can run on batteries alone. Industry reports say that the new batteries, which are more energy intensive and can charge quicker, take around 90 minutes for a full charge – enabling the car to run for about 18 miles on electricity alone at speeds up to around 62mph, with zero emissions. Trial figures indicate that for trips up to 15 miles, the PHEV uses 60% less fuel than today’s Prius. Over longer distances it works as a conventional hybrid.

CO2 emissions according to the car’s anticipated test cycle results are 60g/km compared with 89g/km for the current Prius.

Launch date and prices for the new PHEV

Reports in the Japanese press say that volume production of the new Prius will start in 2011. In early October 2009, Toyota US announced that the Prius PHEV has a target launch date in the US of 2012.

Price indications as at July 2009 are that the car will cost £29,200 in Japan – more than twice the cost of today’s car. It’s another example of a car that will have a considerable hurdle to jump if it wants to convince motorists that the sticker price is offset by the huge savings to be gained by operating a PHEV. If you’re a suburban commuter driving into Central London in a large, dated car and parking daily, the benefits are very considerable. On the other hand, if you don’t fit that precise bill, there are still a lot of people who want the very latest automotive technology and will pay a premium for it.