Toyota Motor Corporation began sales of its redesigned Prius Series Parallel Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) in Japan this week, with sales of Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) models scheduled to start in March.
The Prius was the world’s first mass produced hybrid car when it was launched in 1997, paving the way for the technology to evolve and make its way into a wide range of Toyota models. The model is produced at Toyota’s Tsutsumi plant in Japan.
The new Prius HEV is fitted with Toyota’s latest fifth-generation hybrid system, for both the 1.8- and two-litre versions. Toyota said the Prius 2.0L offers a fuel consumption of 28.6 km/L and a maximum power output of 144 kW (196PS), 1.6 times more than the previous model. The 1.8L model has a fuel consumption of 32.6 km/L.
Toyota said the second-generation TNGA platform was developed as part of continuing improvement of the matured TNGA platform and offers an improved driving performance thanks to a lower centre of gravity and large diameter tyres. It is offered with Toyota’s latest active safety package, Safety Sense, as standard. Prices range between JPY2.75m and JPY3.92m (US$20,830-US$29,700).
