Toyota to display Prius plug-in concept at Frankfurt motor show

Friday 11th September, 05:24 AM JST

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9 Comments

Klein2 at 10:16 AM JST - 11th September

BOOM BOOM BOOM

Toyota is beating the drum! I knew this was coming, but I was thinking December. This rocks. Next stop, charging stations, off peak charging, microgrids, etc. Japan is on its way to energy self-sufficiency!

Coupled with the report of 38 tons of plutonium that came out days ago, this, people, is meaningful.
Yelnats at 02:21 PM JST - 11th September

I live on the fourth floor of a mansion. How would I plug this car in if I bought one? Long extension cord down to the basement parking garage?
franz75 at 03:14 PM JST - 11th September

Yelnats: plug yours on the next one.
ca1ic0cat at 01:34 AM JST - 12th September

Not quite competition for the Chevy Volt or Nissan Leaf then. But a step in the right direction.

Car parks are going to have to be retrofit to allow these vehicles to plug in. Pretty soon it's going to become a marketing pitch right up there with the view or proximity to the station. "See, you can plug your ERHEV right here while you are at home."
Klein2 at 05:33 AM JST - 12th September

Yeah. Boy. I wish Toyota could muster to resources to compete with GM and Nissan someday. It is tough being such a second rate company, but I hope Toyota keeps trying anyway.
presto345 at 03:52 PM JST - 12th September

Only 20 km? Who has the need for that?
Eizenhauer at 08:34 PM JST - 12th September

Nissan Leaf will have a minimum 160km range, they might offer an option of a battery upgrade to give us more range, say 300km per charge but at higher battery cost, however, good move toyota, plug in hybrid would be far better than current prius, specially if you do many short runs in the city...
presto345 at 08:50 PM JST - 12th September

good move toyota, plug in hybrid would be far better than current prius, specially if you do many short runs in the city...

Looks like a pain to keep plugging it in and out all the time.
Klein2 at 11:30 PM JST - 12th September

Yawn. Nissan, GM, will have... maybe... someday. Oh brother. I think... no... I am sure that the significance of having a vehicle that can run, with whatever radius, on either elec OR gasoline, is lost on almost everyone. New technology raises the value of all modes. You know that right?

Only Toyota has the design, production, and marketing experience to make this get to, say 20,000 vehicles before December next year. GM Volt, optimistic GM estimates say, might get to 20k vehicles annually in three years. I am sure that is a lame exaggeration. Toyota has reliable, innovative, reasonable vehicles now. Some talk and dream, and some DO.

This car will hit a sweet spot and finally, finally, solve the problem with peak/off peak power production, so it will actually keep electricity prices down while boosting power companies' margins, if you can believe it. Emissions will be improved, mileage will be better. Fantastic.

My electric company offers off-peak rates, so I get about 7 yen per kilowatt hour for charging at night. 20 km per day covers me, and I have a gas tank if I need it. This sets me up. I don't even have to visit the gas station but twice a year. Go ahead and wait for Nissan to get it right, I already have a 3 meter extension cord. That is all I need. I am off to the future.