Plug-In Prius Coming in 2012

Toyota will begin production of a plug-in version of the Prius hybrid in 2012 and build between 20,000 and 30,000 cars per year, according to Japan’s Nikkei news. The report states the plug-in Prius will be priced at $48,000, but we find that figure pretty speculative.

The plug-in Prius will use lithium-ion batteries from Panasonic that will provide 12-18 miles of range on purely electric power. These factors weigh against the Japanese automaker, seeing as GM will be out of the gate first with the Volt, which will cost $8,000 less than that speculative price and deliver a better range using its battery.

Five hundred prototypes will be delivered to test fleets later this year, which will give us a better idea of what kind of fuel savings the plug-in Prius will be capable of. Starting at more than double the price of the regular Prius, they’d have to be pretty substantial. Much of the information in this report doesn’t sound remotely practical for Toyota to move forward with, however, and we doubt all the details are 100% accurate. However, it’s probably a safe bet they’re working on a plug-in.

Toyota to Mass-Produce Plug-in Hybrids from 2012 (Reuters via AutoblogGreen)

Comments

I would love to have a hybrid car...I just don't want another car payment.

No one's paying ~$50k+ for a Prius.

Until the tech develops and becomes cheaper and more convenient, plug-in hybrids will have a very limited audience.

I politely believe the opposite: A lot of people would pay 50k for a Prius Plug in as far as the car have big stickers like the one in the picture... as I recall the main reason most people bought a Prius was to make a statement (it was in a survey made by the New York Times), not for economy.

Unless they're in the upper echelon, they're not going to pay more than twice what Priuses cost now.

Statement or not, a more expensive car will just not sell as much as a relatively inexpensive one.

If people can afford it, great; I just don't thin there will be extreme immediate sales a la the 2nd and 3rd Generation Priuses.

This would be quite the about-face what with Toyota waging a PR battle against the efficacy of plug-ins as well as lithium ion batteries since the Volt became publicized.

I think Toyota is making a mediocre plug in with a high price to show everyone how impractical. In other words, toyota is doing this because everyone else is, not because they really think its going to be successful. How can you come out with something after the Volt that will have less range than the Volt?

In Oct 2007 they said the plug in Prius would be here in 2009. I stopped by a Toyota dealer this morning and guess what? No Plug IN! The best they could offer on a 2010 Model was an optional solar roof panel that could only power a small fan to cool the inside of the car before you get in. What a cruel joke! They really aren't even trying to get us off fossil fuels. They haven't even matched the EV1 yet.