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They won’t be coming here, but heading to the US and Europe – with 200 staying in Japan – for evaluation, mainly by government and business.
The PHV (plug-in hybrid vehicle) Prius extends Toyota’s belief in hybrid currently being the most feasible system available as an alternative to conventional engines. “We believe hybrid is the best system at present,” says the car giant’s project manager for research and development, Yutaka Matsumoto. “Toyota positions plug-in hybrid vehicles as the most practical way to use electrical energy (for vehicles).
Like the standard Prius, the PHV still uses regenerative technology to recharge the lithium-ion battery by capturing energy from braking, but it can also be recharged by plugging into a household mains supply from 100-200v.
Running on battery only, it is reduced to short range application, but automatically shifts to the conventional petrol/battery system for mid and long-range driving. “This eliminates any worry about cruising range, which is the greatest shortcoming of electric vehicles,” Matsumoto says. “Most of those previously sold in US have not adequate range.”
Toyota is working on furthering the range of lithium-ion batteries, with a goal of them offering a range of 200km by 2020. And a million yen has been invested in the engineers’ quest for a holy grail in the form of the yet-to-be-realised ‘Sakichi’ battery, which will go around the globe on a single charge.
But in the meantime, Matsumoto says Toyota will direct near-future development of available electric range based on analysis of the leased PHVs’ performance and the response of their users. “In order to evaluate if the current electric range is appropriate, this plug-in has a very important role,” he says.
The market response will dictate when the PHV will be available for sale. “We will be getting feedback from markets, and then decide on when it will be most appropriate to provide it,” Matsumoto says.
He also flags that Toyota is carrying out research and development in other alternative fuels, including future plug-in hybrids that will be biofuel-electric and possibly solar-electric. “The plan to introduce the right car at the right place at the right time,” Matsumoto says.
He cites concerns about the future of oil, saying we must prepare for when demand will exceed production some time in the ‘near future’. “Efforts to shift to alternative fuels while restricting oil consumption is necessary for the time being,” he says. “Various technologies – such as internal combustion, hybrid, plug-in, electric and fuel-cell — will coexist for the time being. “But to use the remaining oil, improving efficiency is the key with hybrid technologies.”
And Matsumoto says the Toyota hybrids sold around the world are already proving the technology’s worth in terms of reducing CO2 emissions. “There have been about two million sold globally so far, and the average CO2 emissions in Europe have reduced 21 per cent over the last 10 years,” he says.
Matsumoto believes that one of the biggest hurdles for the prospective Prius buyer – the high price tag of around $40,000 for the base model, compared with a conventional car – has been overcome. “Currently the Prius is in its third generation, and the cost has come down significantly,” he says. “They are competing already price-wise and cost-wise with conventional vehicles.”
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