The race to come up with the first production plug-in hybrid vehicle heats up as Toyota announced that it already has a PHEV ready for testing. The Japanese automaker looks ready to take on General Motors which is currently making the biggest waves in the development of a PHEV with its Chevy Volt.
The announcement made by Toyota means that it now leads major automakers in the development of a plug-in hybrid vehicle. PHEVs are considered as the next step for automakers after hybrids.
Plug-in hybrid vehicles are essentially hybrid vehicles. The difference is that PHEVs are designed with plug-in capability. By plugging in a PHEV into an electric socket, its battery pack can be recharged. The battery pack is also more powerful than the ones used on hybrids. The plug-in capability of these vehicles mans that they can travel more distances without burning petroleum fuel.
The plug-in hybrid developed by Toyota was recently given the certification for public road use by Japan's Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport. The Japanese automaker is yet to announce what the plug-in hybrid will be called.
Similar in construction to a hybrid, the Toyota PHEV is also equipped with a small internal combustion engine and an electric motor. According to the company, this vehicle can carry up to 5 persons.
Although this vehicle received certification ahead of the Volt, when it comes to the cruising range of the vehicles, the Volt has the upper hand. Toyota announced that on 3-4 hours of charging, the battery pack of the vehicle can power it up to about 13 kilometers. In comparison, the Volt's battery pack is expected to power the vehicle for 64 kilometers.
It is obvious though that Toyota is still on the process of perfecting this technology. With developments of Li-ion battery packs being pushed through by the automaker, it can be expected that future PHEVs from Toyota will have a longer cruising range than this PHEV. Aside from increasing the cruising range of the PHEV, Toyota will also be working on reducing the cost of production of the vehicle.
Even if the plug-in hybrid vehicle unveiled by Toyota can equal the expected cruising range of the Volt, the automaker must lower the production cost to make it a practical choice for auto buyers. With its powertrain more fuel efficient than the of an Aura Green Line, it can be expected that once Toyota introduces this vehicle in the United States auto market, consumers will be lining up to buy one.
The PHEV will be tested on Japanese roads. The automaker announced that they will be using eight units of the plug-in hybrid vehicle in their tests. This test will provide Toyota with valuable information which they can use for further enhancement of the PHEV.
Toyota's Executive Vice President Masatami Takimoto said that the commercial release of plug-in hybrid vehicles depend largely on the development of efficient batteries for automotive application. "It's difficult to say when plug-in hybrids could be commercialized, since it would depend largely on advances in battery technology," Takimoto said.
Aside from developing a Li-ion battery pack for the new generation Prius, Toyota will now also be looking to equip their PHEV with a Li-ion battery pack. General Motors' Chevy Volt is also expected to be equipped with the same type of battery. The only problem being faced by these automakers is the development of a Li-ion battery which can withstand automotive application.
