Toyota to Test Prius Plug-In Hybrid in UK

Five private businesses and public organizations in London will run a fleet of 20 Prius plug-in hybrids until July 2013.

The data from the project should shed light on driver attitudes and usage patterns to help design strategies for introducing plug-in hybrids and recharging technologies.

This project is part of a global Toyota project involving 600 Prius Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles that will also be deployed in Japan, the US, Canada and Australia.

The Prius plug-in hybrids involved in the lease program are essentially the same as the current third-generation full hybrid Prius, but are equipped with a lithium-ion battery that can be recharged by plugging it into a standard 240-volt outlet. EDF Energy has identified appropriate plug, socket, wiring and cabling specifications to comply with BS7671 safety standards. The charging points incorporate a keypad that enables each user and vehicle to be identified when recharging takes place.

The rechargeable battery technology gives Prius Plug-in extended capabilities when it is driven in EV (electric vehicle) mode: capable of running for up to 12.5 miles solely on its electric motor – battery charge and road conditions permitting – at speeds up to 62mph, it can accomplish the great majority of typical urban journeys with zero fuel consumption and tailpipe emissions. Prius Plug-in’s combined cycle fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are 108.6mpg and 59g/km respectively.

Should the battery charge be used up in the course of a journey, Prius Plug-in will seamlessly switch to power from its efficient 1.8-liter VVT-i gasoline engine, meaning the driver need suffer no “range anxiety” about the distance his or her car might manage.

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