Toyota reveals plan for new hybrids, including plug-in model

Posted June 11 2008 09:54 AM by Andrew Strieber
Category: Green, Toyota


As $4 gas has pushed American drivers into fuel-efficient cars, the news has been full of reports chronicling the Detroit Three's small car development and GM's upcoming plug-in hybrid, the Volt. But what about the current leader in hybrid technology, Toyota? Recently sales of the Prius passed the one million mark, and word leaked that the company was increasing battery production and would possibly build its popular hybrid in California. Now the automaker has officially announced far more detailed plans for its future, including info about the next Prius, other gas-electric models, and a new plug-in hybrid car due in 2010.


Word that a new Prius is in development has been around for some time, and today Toyota confirmed that the car will arrive in 2009. The automaker will also debut two additional hybrids at the next Detroit Auto Show, including a previously rumored Lexus variant and a second, hybrid-only Toyota. At present, little is known about the Toyota, but the company's executive vice president in charge of r&d Masatami Takimoto says it will be bigger than a Prius and is "a totally new car."

In addition, recently Toyota has been working on the development of a new lithium-ion battery back, which would be lighter than the nickel-metal hydride source in the current Prius and offer more power. Available in many laptop computers, GM of course plans to use lithium-ion power for the Volt. Toyota, however, feels the technology is not yet ready and will stick with nickel-metal hydride for its upcoming Hybrid Synergy Drive vehicles. That said, Toyota and partner Panasonic EV Energy are working to create the next-generation power source, and hopes to have a production-ready version available by 2010. At that time, the batteries still won't go into the Prius, but will instead be used for a new, plug-in hybrid released that year to go up against the Volt.

Competition in the green car arena is quickly heating up -- Nissan is developing electric vehicles and has partnered with NEC to create lithium-ion batteries of its own, and Honda recently announced it will build four new hybrids by 2015. According to president Katsuaki Watanabe Toyota is keeping pace, and is already working on the future of battery technology. This month, the company will launch a battery research department to develop new technologies beyond lithium-ion, looking to concepts such as metal-air batteries to provide the Prius of tomorrow with even greater range and power.

Since Toyota created its first gas/electric vehicle in 1997, sales of the automaker's hybrid cars have reached 1.5 million vehicles worldwide. Now the company expects its new models to boost sales dramatically, and wants to move one million hybrids per year by the early 2010s. Given that when the first Prius was introduced most thought it would be little more than a niche vehicle, the Japanese automaker looks likely to achieve its goal.

Source: Toyota and Automotive News (Subscription required)