Toyota Tiptoes Into Plug-Ins

LOS ANGELES — EV enthusiasts have been adding extension cords to Prius hybrids for a couple of years now, and Toyota is finally getting in on the act with a plug-in version of the wildly popular hybrid that hits the road later this month.

The Plug-In Prius made its North American debut here at the Los Angeles Auto Show, and Toyota said it is providing 350 of them to municipal fleets in Japan to further refine the technology. Another 150 are slated for fleets in the United States early next year. Toyota will collect info on a variety of topics, including how and when the vehicles are charged, whether the batteries are depleted and how they are performing.

“This program is a necessary first step in societal preparation, in that it allows us the unique opportunity to inform, educate and prepare customers for the introduction of plug-in hybrid technology,” said Irv Miller, Toyota group VP of environmental and public affairs. “When these vehicles come to market, customers must understand what to expect and if this technology is the right fit for them.”

The plug-ins is based on the third-gen 2010 Prius but ditches the nickel-metal hydride battery for lithium-ion. It is the first li-ion battery Toyota’s built, and production started last month at its Teiho factory in Japan through a joint venture with Panasonic.

Toyota says the battery is good for 13 miles and a top speed of 60 mph. That’s up from one mile and 25 mph from the NiMH pack in the standard Prius. It’ll charge in three hours at 110 volts and 90 minutes at 220. The company has spent more than three years developing the pack and racked up more than 1 million miles testing them.

Still no official word on when the rest of us might be able to get a Plug-In Prius, but the last rumor we heard was it’s coming in 2012.

Photos: Jim Merithew / Wired.com

Posted in: Plug-Ins,Toyota