Prius lovers can now witness Toyota’s latest innovative hybrid vehicle! Toyota will display a prototype plug-in Prius hybrid at Legislative Plaza today during a field hearing on electric drive vehicles named for by the Congressional TVA Caucus. The model Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) develops the elevated fuel economy and ultra-low emissions of the world-renowned Toyota Prius production hybrid model. It will surface with a developed Nickel-Metal-Hydride battery pack that can be charged by plugging into a usual house electrical outlet. The Prius plug-in can operate in pure-electric manner for extended periods of time and at speeds up to 60 mph with added electric reserved power.

By 2010, Toyota will have its next generation plug-in hybrid with Lithium-Ion batteries being tested by commercial fleets in the U.S. and elsewhere. With over 1.5 million hybrid sales worldwide, Toyota is the established leader in hybrid technology.

"As we look ahead, we believe hybrids will continue to raise the bar for new technology. Plug-in hybrids can offer substantial gains in fuel economy and a reduction in total tailpipe emissions," explains Robert Wimmer, Toyota's national manager for Technical and Regulatory Affairs, Energy & Environmental Research.

"When considering the benefit of new technologies, we must understand the relationship between large sales volumes and fuel savings. For example, if we double sales of a hybrid model, the fuel savings is greater than doubling its fuel economy with no change in sales volume. Therefore, it is critical that new technologies, such as plug-ins and fuel cells are introduced at a price point and utility that allow for high volume sales. Otherwise, their environmental benefit will be negligible," Wimmer added.