Toyota Plans to Mass-Produce Plug-in Prius in 2012

By Jeff St. John

Toyota (TM) will start mass-producing a plug-in version of its Prius hybrid in 2012, with plans to make 20,000 to 30,000 of the vehicles that year, according to news reports.

The Japanese newspaper Nikkei reported the news Saturday, according to Reuters. Toyota had previously said that it intends to bring about 500 of the new plug-in version of its best-selling hybrid to fleet customers by the end of this year (see Toyota's Plug-In Prius Heads to France).

Reuters reported that Toyota plans to sell its new plug-in Prius at a price close to that of Mitsubishi's promised all-electric car, which will be sold to fleet customers in Japan this month for about 4.59 million yen ($47,800). That's without government subsidies of roughly $15,000 in Japan, which would lower the cost to buyers to about $30,000 (see Green Light post).

The new plug-in Prius will be powered by lithium-ion batteries developed and built in a joint venture with Panasonic EV Energy Co. That's a departure from the nickel metal hydride batteries in the gasoline-electric Prius hybrids on the road today.

The plug-in Prius will be able to go about 12 to 18 miles on battery power alone before its gasoline-powered engine kicks in, according to Reuters.

General Motors (GMGMQ.PK) plans to have its plug-in hybrid Chevy Volt on sale late next year. Ford (F) said it plans to be building plug-in hybrid vehicles by 2012, though it will precede those with an all-electric commercial van in 2010 and an all-electric passenger car in 2011.

Toyota also plans to have a battery-powered compact car called the FT-EV on the market by 2012.

Comments

[DLB40:]

I didn't realize that the energy grid could be rebuilt by 2012. Must be the stimulus plan at work. Guess I missed the headlines.

Jul 07 10:46 AM

[jerrydd:]

Selling a plug in hybrid at that price is a rip off just as the Volt is.

There is no difference in cost between a ICE car other than the battery which is easily covered by the $7500 tax credit in the US. The electric motor is paid for by the smaller engine.

Next 15-18 mile battery range is barely worth it as it should be more like 30 miles at least.

It's likely BYD and others will have much less expensive, $22k, longer range EV's and plug in hybrids by then so I don't see it's market.

What they need to do is bring out their X-1 plug in composite body/chassis hybrid show car which is the car type of the future, , basically an EV with a very small gas motor for unlimited range at 100mpg or more.

Jul 07 10:54 AM

[John Petersen:]

It looks like Toyota is breaking with tradition and giving its customers an honest view of what a Li-ion powered PHEV will really cost. The 12 to 18 mile electric mode range works out to roughly 4 kWh of useful storage and implies something larger in terms of total battery capacity. Since the credit is based on battery size, the planned Prius not get $7,500. The actual number will be $2,500 for the first 5 kWh of total battery capacity plus $417 for each additional kWh. PHEVs are coming, but they will not be affordable for people who need to worry about budgets.

Think of them as eco-bling.

Jul 07 12:08 PM

[31October:]

On Jul 07 10:46 AM DLB40 wrote:
> I didn't realize that the energy grid could be rebuilt by 2012. Must
> be the stimulus plan at work...

Last night, I told an automotive electrical engineer friend that we should trade our performance cars for Priuses, because 50mpg might be enough to overlook lack of driveability. He went on a rant first about the grid, then about ecological destruction to make those batteries. My science magazines do not mention that, so I looked it up. He was correct. Not only are the mining operations worse than anything I have seen, poor people are being poisoned to process & recycle - conditions beyond anything miners in my family would imagine.

Toyota should be commended for honesty about range. I am sure that people will line up to pay more than sticker for the PHEV Prius. I wonder how many people realize the environmental cost of their environmental statement.

Mr. Petersen's eco-bling comment was poignant and
profound. I hope he has it copyrighted.

Jul 07 02:15 PM

[Juan Carlos...:]

This announcement proves that PHEVs are - contrary to previous John Petersen´s expectations - in effect coming. See my critique of Petersen`s views on the Plug-in Vehicles (seekingalpha.com/artic...).

Jul 07 09:15 PM

[slowdown:]

As I read all of the technical gobbledy gook and flip back and forth between bytes of various articles and studies on battery powered cars….I have to wonder who will be buying them.
My sons graduate from college this year with four-year degrees. They will earn a starting salary of around $40k per year. They will likely have health care but no pensions..so will have to put money away for old age…ideally…10% of their income. They will have to be “do it yourselfers” just as their Grandfathers and Fathers were/are.

We will be retiring or forced into lower paying jobs in the next few years (yes age discrimination is alive and well in this country). We will go back to being “do it yourselfers” (personally…we already are) due to income limitations.

That said – the bulk of the population will be purchasing one vehicle that can:
- Haul two adults, two kids, the family dog, the travel trailer or camping equipment and the fishing boat (the days of hotels and flights are over – we go back to camping).
- Carry a payload or pull a trailer capable of hauling everything from lumber to bricks (these young kids are buying small starter homes that need repairs and so are we).

For those that need two vehicles, the second will likely be a cheap driver that will get one person back and forth to work. The average person will commute to work or live and work in small rural communities. Like myself – my kids and their friends, view living in big city trappings as unattractive, dangerous, unhealthy, too confined and far, far too expensive.

So…what’s the intent here. As far as I can tell…these cars will be too expensive to own and operate for the average family and they will not meet their needs. I really want an answer because from my spot in the back seat…we are heading down the wrong path. If the intent is to force a change to my lifestyle – I’m getting back in the driver seat and my answer is – NO!
You all need to go back to the drawing board. And this time…instead of waiting for some other country to figure out the answer for us…start working on the solution ourselves. Since our household incomes have been dramatically reduced – the solution needs to be a low cost alternative fuel that allows us to maintain our previous standard of living. From everything I have read – the electric vehicle isn’t it.

Jul 08 10:44 AM

[31October:]

On Jul 08 10:44 AM slowdown wrote:
... the bulk of the population will be purchasing one vehicle…these cars will be too expensive to own and operate for the average family and they will not meet their needs. I really want an answer because from my spot in the back seat…we are heading down the wrong path. If the intent is to force a change to my lifestyle – I’m getting back in the driver seat and my answer is – NO!...


A great commentary.
The new CAFE standards, according to Congress, will add another $1300 cost to vehicles. Their estimate is parts only and excludes cap & trade expenses. Regulators hamstrung diesel technology (American catalytic refineries - and the lobbyists they fund - make little diesel). I would love an electric car, as long as it can go 200 miles on a charge, has room for my family, and costs less over its lifetime than my current vehicle.

Jul 08 02:42 PM