The Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid will go on sale in the first half of next year and the price will be less than £31,000. A full recharge of the lithium-ion battery will take around one-and-a-half-hours.
THE new Toyota Prius Plug-in will cost less than £31,000 when sales start in the first half of next year.
The pricing is competitive compared to the latest electric vehicle models on the market but Prius Plug-in Hybrid offers more flexible performance, thanks to its powertrain, which combines an electric motor, a lithium-ion battery and a petrol engine.
This will allow drivers to cover more than 14 miles using power from its hybrid battery, after which the vehicle will seamlessly switch to power from its full hybrid system, including the 1.8-litre VVT-i petrol engine.
The convenience and efficiency of Prius Plug-in Hybrid extends to the system for recharging the lithium-ion battery. Simple connection to workplace or domestic electricity supply, or a roadside charging point, can enable a full recharge in an hour-and-a-half.
Toyota predicts Prius Plug-in Hybrid will emit 49g/km of carbon dioxide and achieve 134.5mpg combined cycle fuel economy. This strengthens its position as a strong prospect for corporate fleet operators, as it will qualify for a benefit-in-kind company car tax rating of just five per cent for drivers and consequently a monthly tax burden of less than £52 (for a 40 per cent tax payer, based on the guideline vehicle price).
Ewan Shepherd, general manager Toyota/ Lexus fleet services, said: "Prius Plug-in Hybrid will be an exciting and valuable addition to what is already an industry-leading Toyota range that delivers significant financial benefits to companies and company car drivers with advanced and highly efficient models such as Prius and the British-built Auris Hybrid."
The advantages of the Prius Plug-in Hybrid are being measured in real-world demonstration programmes with 200 prototype Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) in Europe — 20 of them in London.
Reporter: jamiew@iwcpmail.co.uk