TOKYO, Nov 16 (Reuters) – Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) rolled out a 2-litre plug-in model of its Prius on Wednesday, in an try to reboot the 25-year-old hybrid that was as soon as on the chopping fringe of low-emissions expertise and enchantment extra broadly to cost-conscious drivers.
Toyota billed the brand new Prius, with its shark-like entrance and talent to function as an electric-only car for many day by day driving, as a means deliver hybrids to a wider viewers. Battery-powered electrical automobiles comparable to these made by Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) nonetheless stay too costly for a lot of shoppers.
Launched in 1997, the petrol-electric Prius hybrid was successful with eco-conscious drivers and even now it’s among the many most fuel-efficient mid-priced. Though worldwide gross sales have reached round 5 million vehicles, the Prius has in recent times been overshadowed by the likes of Tesla and different vehicles that do not use petrol.
“We want ecological options inside the attain of the various,” Simon Humphries, Toyota’s design senior common supervisor, mentioned on the launch. “The Prius is a automobile for almost all. It’s a automobile to be pushed by all individuals, not just some.”
Regardless of touting the accessibility, Toyota didn’t give particulars on the associated fee. The hybrid fashions will launch this winter and the plug-in hybrids will launch within the spring, it mentioned.
The brand new Prius would be the first to characteristic Toyota’s 2-litre plug-in hybrid system, which incorporates an EV driving vary that’s about 50% greater than that of the earlier mannequin, Toyota mentioned.
Along with Japan, it will likely be launched in North America, Europe after which different international locations, Toyota mentioned.
The retool additionally comes as Japan’s largest automaker has come underneath rising criticism for its reliance on hybrid expertise, with ESG buyers and environmental teams accusing of it being too gradual to embrace battery electrics.
Reuters reported final month that the automaker is contemplating a reboot of its electrical technique to higher compete within the booming promote it was gradual to enter.
Toyota has additionally pushed again towards critics, saying hybrids make sense in markets the place infrastructure is not able to help a sooner transfer to battery automobiles.
Hybrids are sometimes cheaper than EVs as they usually have smaller batteries and should not reliant on charging stations, necessary components in markets the place clients are worth delicate and charging infrastructure will be patchy.
Reporting by Satoshi Sugiyama; Further reporting by Maki Shiraki; Enhancing by David Dolan and Gerry Doyle
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