Toyota rolls out its plug-in Prius

[FarCenter]

Toyota Motor Corp. unveiled on Monday the plug-in version of the latest Prius gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle with extended range when it runs on electricity.

Toyota plans to lease out 600 of the plug-in hybrids to governments and corporations in Japan, the United States and Europe and gain feedback.

It says it will start selling the plug-in hybrid at home and abroad in two years.

The five-seater has a gasoline-powered internal combustion engine and an electric motor. Increased capacity of the lithium-ion batteries gives it a longer electric-motor-only cruising range. Its plug also allows users to charge the batteries using household electricity.

"A plug-in hybrid vehicle eases concerns about electric vehicles because it includes the hybrid system," said Takeshi Uchiyamada, executive vice president at Toyota.

The Prius Plug-in Hybrid has a cruising range using only electricity of 23.5 km under Japanese standards. Its fuel-efficiency in hybrid mode is 57 km per liter, the carmaker said.

<SNIP>http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nb20091215a4.html

[onethatcares]

1. but GM is offering 0% interest to

well qualified buyers.

Now that's a strategy.

[HopeHoops]

2. Sounds like a sex toy.

[lynne]

3. My household electricity is coal generated -

- so plugging it into household current won't be of benefit to the environment for those of us who use coal-generated electricity.

[FarCenter]

4. Actually, it would be. Since large power plants burn much more effciently

than the small engine in the Prius.

Even with electrical distribution system network losses, you'd be a little bit ahead using electrical power instead of gasoline. Gas is approximately C8H18, but since the atomic weight of Carbon is 13 and Hydrogen is 1, it is about 8*13 = 104 parts carbon to 18 parts Hydrogen. That is, gasoline is about 85% carbon.

[Dr.Phool]

5. I guess that's why the increased the size of the engine this year.

And increased the mileage.

[TheFarseer]

6. Hell Yeah!!

Although if we all had those, we'd have to generate much more electricity. I'm hoping we can do that without alot more coal or natural gas plants.