07-21-2006, 05:36 AM
Toyota Plans Plug-In Hybrid
The Daily Auto Insider
Thursday, July 20, 2006
July 2006
Toyota may produce gasoline-electric models that can be recharged at any electrical outlet to reduce the use of fuel, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing a top U.S. Toyota official.
"We are pursuing a 'plug-in' hybrid vehicle that can travel greater distances without using its gas engine, conserving more oil and slicing smog and greenhouse gases to nearly imperceptible levels," Jim Press, president of Toyota Motor North America, said in a Washington speech.
The hybrid will be a more advanced plug-in model, the story said. Current Toyota hybrids recharge their batteries while in use. But plug-in hybrids use larger battery packs than regular hybrids do, which presents a development and manufacturing challenge. But they can be recharged with a typical 120-volt outlet and drive for many miles before having to switch to the gas engine.
Press said that Toyota will also consider producing vehicles that can run on ethanol. This would be a shift in direction for the company, which hasn't produced any so-called flexible-fuel vehicles, which can run on either gasoline or a blend comprising 85% ethanol. But, Press said, the company is already developing flex-fuel vehicles for sale in Brazil, so it would be easy to do the same for the U.S.
The Daily Auto Insider
Thursday, July 20, 2006
July 2006
Toyota may produce gasoline-electric models that can be recharged at any electrical outlet to reduce the use of fuel, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing a top U.S. Toyota official.
"We are pursuing a 'plug-in' hybrid vehicle that can travel greater distances without using its gas engine, conserving more oil and slicing smog and greenhouse gases to nearly imperceptible levels," Jim Press, president of Toyota Motor North America, said in a Washington speech.
The hybrid will be a more advanced plug-in model, the story said. Current Toyota hybrids recharge their batteries while in use. But plug-in hybrids use larger battery packs than regular hybrids do, which presents a development and manufacturing challenge. But they can be recharged with a typical 120-volt outlet and drive for many miles before having to switch to the gas engine.
Press said that Toyota will also consider producing vehicles that can run on ethanol. This would be a shift in direction for the company, which hasn't produced any so-called flexible-fuel vehicles, which can run on either gasoline or a blend comprising 85% ethanol. But, Press said, the company is already developing flex-fuel vehicles for sale in Brazil, so it would be easy to do the same for the U.S.