This is a great first step for Toyota. They will see the public interest in plug in hybrids and hopefully opt to include the lithium-ion batteries in the Prius, or maybe a completely new model that will become their flagship full electric hybrid. Either way, this is good news from Toyota, who has kept quiet about any type of plug-in model.
TOKYO (Reuters) – Toyota Motor Corp. unveiled a “plug-in” hybrid car based on its popular Prius model on Wednesday, saying it would test the fuel-saving vehicle on public roads — a first for the industry.But the world’s biggest automaker said the car, called the Toyota Plug-in HV, was not fit for commercialization since it uses low-energy nickel-metal hydride batteries instead of lithium-ion batteries believed to be a better fit for rechargeable plug-in cars.
PhotoUnlike earlier gasoline-electric hybrids, which run on a parallel system twinning battery power and a combustion engine, plug-in cars are designed to enable short trips powered entirely by the electric motor, using a battery that can be charged through an electric socket at home.
Many environmental advocates see them as the best available technology to reduce gasoline consumption and global-warming greenhouse gas emissions, but engineers say battery technology is still insufficient to store enough energy for long-distance travel.
“It’s difficult to say when plug-in hybrids could be commercialized, since it would depend largely on advances in battery technology,” said Executive Vice President Masatami Takimoto, in charge of Toyota’s powertrain technology, told a news conference.
The Toyota Plug-in HV, which is due to be tested also in the United States and Europe, has a cruising range of just 13 km (8 miles) on one charge, even with its trunkful of batteries.
Detroit’s General Motors Corp. (GM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and Ford Motor Co. (F.N: Quote, Profile, Research) are also working on plug-in hybrids, with cooperation from battery makers such as Germany’s Continental AG (CONG.DE: Quote, Profile, Research) and Korea’s LG Chem (051910.KS: Quote, Profile, Research)
GM in January showed a concept version of the plug-in Chevrolet Volt that would be powered by a lithium-ion battery. It has set 2010 as a target for production.
