Finally – after a long time wait and see, Toyota automaker announced its plans to produce and market a plug-in hybrid – version of the Toyota Prius in significant numbers. Takeshi Uchiyamada, the Executive Vice President, explain that Toyota will sell several tens of thousands of hybrids plug-in a year globally starting in 2011.
Nissan and General Motors – other global automakers, also announcement to promote their plug-in hybrids, which go on sale in late 2010. And when this happens, the consumers will have at least three options or choices of plug-in hybrid cars – from Prius, Nissan, and General Motors. Moreover, the consumers can compare the price of plug-in hybrid cars prices – according to electric driving range and a range of costs.
And General Motors with their Chevy Volt likely become the most expensive – for about $40,000 – with offering up to 40 miles of all electric range before an on-board engine sustains the batteries charge for an additional 300 miles.
Nissan automaker with their Nissan Leaf will offer 100 miles of driving range – this pure electric will driving 100 percent of electric. The Nissan Leaf will not have an engine – would recharged after in range to about 100 miles. The company expected to sell it about $32,000.
The Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid will cost about -$20,000s and it will likely be the least expensive, but this plug-in hybrid will offer just 14.5 miles at speeds up to 60 mph – the least of all electric range. But Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid will rely on its gas engine more than the other cars – although you will be fully to charge it quickly.
All three of the vehicles will be eligible for tax credits, as high as $7,500. The Prius Plug-in Hybrid, which will use a 5.2 kWh lithium ion battery pack—compared to the Leaf’s 24 kWh pack and the Volt’s 16 kWh—will not qualify for as high a tax credit as the other vehicles.
In the race for electric and plug-in hybrid cars, Toyota will be able to leverage its commanding lead in conventional hybrids. In September, the company announced that cumulative global sales of the Prius topped 2 million units—far more than all other hybrid cars combined. Yet, GM, Nissan, Ford and others recently have taken aggressive steps to take a leadership role in the next generation of alternative vehicles, the plug-in hybrid and electric car. Toyota’s announcement about the Prius Plug-in Hybrid indicates that the company will not easily relinquish its market advantage—and perhaps more importantly, its image—as the leader in green cars.
Another articles you may be interested in reading: Audi Q7, BMW X6, The Disadvantage of Hybrid Cars, and Lithium Ion Batteries.
source: hybridcars.com
