Toyota ramps up plug-in Prius test program

TOYOTA has announced that it will lease more than 150 units of its Prius plug-in development car to fleet customers in Europe as part of a three-year program.

Based on the third-generation Prius petrol-electric hybrid car, which is due on sale in Australia in July, the Prius Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle (PHV) will begin testing in France in the final quarter of this year, with other markets expected to follow early in 2010.

Toyota Motor Europe (TME) is negotiating with the UK, Germany and the Netherlands to join the European program.

“In the future, the PHV will be the perfect complement to Prius,” said TME president Tadashi Arashima. “It offers a low-carbon transport solution for customers wanting to drive longer distances using electricity, while still experiencing the traditional benefits of a full hybrid.

“There is no better time to put our new PHV through its paces. We have to assess its performance in a variety of markets with different infrastructure constraints, driving conditions and customer expectations.” The new-generation Prius PHV uses a lithium-ion battery pack which can be recharged via a standard electrical outlet or, like a regular hybrid, through regenerative braking while driving.

Toyota has been testing plug-in prototypes of its second-generation Prius – equipped with a nickel-metal hydride battery – since 2007.

The latest European testing is part of a 500-strong development fleet of new-generation plug-in Prius cars that will be deployed in Europe, Japan and the US by 2010.

There is still no full-scale production timetable, despite indications last year that the new-generation Prius would offer a plug-in version for sale early in its model life.

As GoAuto reported earlier this year, ongoing issues such as battery development, vehicle packaging, durability and pricing, plus a host of infrastructure obstacles, will prevent the market introduction of a Prius PHV for up to five years.

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