Toyota is serving notice that it doesn’t intend to allow other car makers to pass it by in the race to be the “greenest” auto company. Small Toyota engines are used in the hybrid Prius, which will use a smaller gasoline engine in it’s plug-in car, to be introduced in 2011.
Toyota will have plenty of competition. General Motors recently announced plans to produce up to 60,000 Chevy Volt plug-in hybrids a year beginning next year. Nissan also plans to introduce a plug-in next year while Ford and Volkswagen are also working on plug-in models.
Toyota said it plans to take its popular Prius and create a plug-in version of the gasoline hybrid. Instead of an engine that is powered by both gasoline and batteries, the plug-in model is powered almost exclusively by electricity.
Batteries can be plugged into electrical outlets overnight to recharge. On longer trips, a small gasoline engine recharges the batteries, providing extended range.
Toyota says its all-electric Prius would be twice as efficient as the current gasoline hybrid model and would recharge in only one and a half hours.
Toyota has proven in the past that consumers will purchase fuel efficient cars that have a “green” image, even paying a premium for the privilege. Perhaps the Prius is the best example of that. Since rolling out in 1997, demand has been strong for these cars. In fact, when gasoline prices soared over $4 a gallon in 2008, there were often waiting lists for Prius’ at Toyota dealers and consumers who were able to get one had to pay a “surcharge.”
However, in terms of gasoline mileage versus the extra cost of the vehicle, Prius owners didn’t always save money.
For most of the people who want to improve gas mileage, small cars that get as much or more gas mileage can be purchased for about half as much as a Prius. Currently, most of the major car companies make small non hybrid cars powered by gasoline engines, which get the same fuel mileage as a Prius. In essence, the cost of a hybrid car is a big issue. For more information on engines for sale call GotEngines.com @ 1-888-344-8044.
