DETROIT — Toyota said it will stage the world debut of a "battery electric vehicle concept" at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show but offered no further details.
The EV concept, according to The Wall Street Journal, "is based on a subcompact model the Japanese automaker is considering launching in a few years." The newspaper described the production version of the Toyota EV as "a small 'town car' with a limited driving range but with an affordable price tag of about $20,000."
Toyota joins a growing list of automakers, including Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz and China's BYD, in planning to showcase pure EVs in Detroit, often alongside gasoline-electric hybrids.
Toyota also is planning to introduce its third-generation Prius at the Detroit show.
Inside Line says: Toyota also will likely provide an update on its plans to convert its future hybrid vehicles to lithium-ion batteries. — Paul Lienert, Correspondent
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