Toyota’s new Prius Plug-In Hybrid could achieve 134.5mpg
Toyota is lining up its new Prius Plug-In Hybrid to become an irresistible acquisition for fleets when its arrives in showrooms in the first half of 2012.
Expected to ring in at less than £31,000 before any Government incentive is included, the next Prius could up its already attractive combined fuel economy of 72mpg (2009’s T3) to an eyepopping 134.5mpg.
The Plug-In variant will be able to travel 14 miles purely in EV mode before drawing power from the lithium-ion battery to its 1.8-litre VVT-i petrol engine. Toyota believe this will go some way towards making ‘range anxiety’ – one of the biggest bugbears with existing EVs – a thing of the past.
Hooking up the Prius to a mains supply can top-up its electric capabilities within 90 minutes while carbon emissions will sit at around 49g/km which means no road tax and just 5% BIK.
Further plus-points for fleets and businesses come in the way of a 100% write-down allowance and lower National Insurance contributions.
Ewan Shepherd, General Manager Toyota/Lexus Fleet Services said: “Prius Plug-in Hybrid will be an exciting and valuable addition to what is already an industry-leading Toyota range that delivers significant financial benefits to companies and company car drivers with advanced and highly efficient models such as Prius and the British-built Auris Hybrid.”
Twenty of the 200 test models have been out and about in London and have reported significantly better urban driving performance than the best-in-class diesel and petrol models of comparable size.
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