TOKYO — Toyota will show a plug-in version of its popular Prius hybrid at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show next week. The automaker calls the plug-in concept an "environmentally considerate" product that it will soon roll out in small numbers to fleets around the world for real-world testing.
The Toyota Prius plug-in is based on the third-generation Prius but uses what Toyota calls first-generation lithium-ion battery technology. Its 98-horsepower 1.8-liter gasoline engine, with 105 pound-feet of torque, is paired with an electric motor that makes 84 hp and 153 lb-ft of torque. The plug-in is intended to have a 12.5-mile cruising range and the ability to cruise at highway speeds on pure electrical power. The lithium-ion battery setup is targeted to recharge in three hours at 100 volts and 100 minutes on 200 volts.
The lithium-ion battery was produced in-house by Toyota R&D, and its production will be handled by Panasonic EV Energy Company, a joint venture with Toyota.
Toyota says the Prius Plug-In concept will emit less than 60 g/km of CO2 emissions. Of the 500 test vehicles to be rolled out around the world later this year, 150 will go to lease-fleet users in the United States.
Inside Line says: Count on Toyota to move aggressively forward in hybrid technology. — Laura Sky Brown, Correspondent
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