This will be the first time a lithium-ion battery is to be employed in a Toyota vehicle for propulsion. Starting at the end of 2009, Toyota plans to lease about 200 of the vehicles to designated users such as government ministries, local governments and corporations.
A PHV operates as an EV when used for short distances and can operate as a conventional hybrid vehicle when used for medium to long-distance trips. This means it can be used regardless of remaining battery power or availability of battery-charging infrastructure in place. Furthermore, PHVs are expected to achieve higher fuel efficiency than conventional hybrid vehicles, limit consumption of fossil fuels, reduce CO2 emissions and atmospheric pollution, and, by charging with off-peak electricity, promise a more economical vehicle powering solution.
Toyota believes that, in response to the diversification of energy sources, PHVs are currently the most suitable environmentally considerate vehicles for widespread use. Toyota therefore intends to encourage the marketing of PHVs while introducing a total of 500 vehicles globally, primarily to fleet customers, to further use and understanding of the vehicles. Toyota will introduce about 150 vehicles in the US, as well as more than 150 vehicles in Europe, including 100 in France. Toyota is also considering introducing PHVs in the UK, the Netherlands and Germany.
Toyota has positioned hybrid technologies as core environmentally considerate vehicle technologies and is using them in the development not only of PHVs but also EVs and fuel-cell hybrid vehicles. Toyota will continue its efforts to achieve sustainable mobility by developing and putting into practical use these next-generation vehicles, which are hoped to contribute to reducing petroleum consumption, reducing CO2 emissions and responding to the diversification of energy sources.
