Toyota Motor Corp, which is preparing to deploy over 500 new-generation plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHVs) by 2010 for testing-purposes, said that it plans to start mass producing PHVs in 2012. According to a report by Japan’s Nikkei business daily, Toyota plans to produce 20,000 to 30,000 PHVs during the first full-year of production.

The report said that Toyota is looking to get the price of its PHVs comparable to Mitsubishi’s i MiEV electric-car which is being sold to fleet customers this month starting at 4.59 million yen ($47,800 USD). Toyota’s new 2010 Prius gasoline electric-hybrid costs less than half that.

Toyota’s plug-in hybrids will have the ability to travel 12.4 to 19 miles on battery power alone, Nikkei said. It will be powered by lithium-ion batteries produced in a partnership with Panasonic EV Energy.

Toyota PHEV Plug-in Prius:

- By: Stephen Calogera

Source: Reuters