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Toyota Prius Gets Greener Sibling in the Prius Plug-In Concept
Sep 17 2009 by Courtney Messenbaugh
The Frankfurt Motor Show opens to the public today, and it’s a feast for car lovers with the 2011 Audi R8 Spyder, Mini Coupe and Roadster concepts, and the 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia making their debuts. Among these wonders of speed and sleek engineering, another feat of engineering will be unveiled: the final prototype of Toyota’s Prius Plug-In Concept. Sure, it’s no match on the racetrack versus the 562-hp Ferrari, but it might be a dream come true for city dwellers.
The Prius Plug-in Concept uses the same hybrid powertrain that’s in the regular Prius; the only difference is the Prius Plug-In uses lithium-ion batteries instead of the hybrid’s nickel-metal-hydride battery pack. The lithium-ion batteries are more compact, can be recharged in a flash (about 90 minutes) and weigh less than nickel-metal-hydride batteries.
Other than that, it’s the same futuristic-looking, practical and uber-quiet Prius. The Prius Plug-In also has the remote air-conditioning system that’s in higher trim levels of the unplugged version. There is one bonus to the plug-in version. In the dashboard, the Prius Plug-In features a graphic with a tree on it. This image soon becomes a whole forest as your battery charges and your driving becomes more eco-friendly. It sounds a bit like the Ford Fusion Hybrid I drove a while back, doesn’t it? Who knew Toyota would be taking cues from Ford? The auto world gets crazier all the time.
I should note that the Prius Plug-In is geared specifically toward urban drivers. Translation: Don’t expect to get too far or go too fast in battery-only mode. A fully charged Prius Plug-In will take you 12.5 miles and at speeds up to 62 mph. For longer distances, the car operates as a regular hybrid and allows you a bit more speed.
Apparently, Toyota did some research in Europe and found that life is increasingly urban centric and the vast majority of car trips cover a distance of fewer than the 12.5 miles. Taking a cue from that research, Toyota plans to release about 500 Prius Plug-Ins mostly in Europe sometime next year for an early lease-and-evaluation program. After determining the car’s real-world performance, they hope to launch it into the marketplace sometime in 2012.
