Toyota

Toyota announced this week that they will be testing a plug0in version of their Prius hatchback model in the UK. Toyota will be partnering up with EDF Energy - an electricity generator supplier in Britain - to help produce plug-in versions of the Prius.

Each car will be driven by employees from EDF Energy and then evaluated in several real-world conditions. These modified plug-in Prius model have the ability to be charged at a standard electrical outlet or at any of the 40 charging posts set up in the UK. EDF will be deploying these charging posts in the coming months.

Toyota has plans to start production of the next-generation Prius and it has plans to produce it with even more factory space then usual. It will be built with better fuel efficiency and they have plans to produce 480,000 units per year.

The Japan-based Tsutsumi factory, which currently builds five different vehicles, will stop making the JDM Wish minivan to allow for more Priuses. Even more Prius capacity will be available beginning in 2010, when the Japanese automaker’s new Mississippi plant comes online and begins to produce more of the hybrid.

Toyota has plans for the 2010 Toyota Prius hybrid. They are taking the technology used for cars one step further and bringing the green name to the forefront by adding solar panels to the roof of the car.

The point of this is to increase the car’s electric motor - but whether or not this will actually work is something that many people are speculating about. We couldn’t see it being enough power to operate the car’s engine - but maybe the radio or air conditioning.

Toyota has stated that they will be producing a lithium ion powered plug-in Prius – which will be planned for 2010. However, those of you who were getting excited to see some spectacular cars coming out will be disappointed due to the statements that they released today.

Toyota Advanced Technology manager Bill Reinert spoke in Washington yesterday at a plug-in conference and said that real-world driving conditions will make 100 mpg unattainable for many drivers. While plugging in more powerful batteries will give drivers a full battery and greater EV range, hard acceleration could limit electric-only driving to well under 40 miles.

Toyota stated this week that they have not yet decided on whether or not they will join teams with General Motors to produce the Prius hybrid cars. They haven’t completely ruled the idea out. They said that they are still in talks at producing the cars at their U.S. joint venture’s factory in California.

“Nothing has been decided on production of Prius at the joint venture New United Motor Manufacturing Inc., even though Toyota is always seeking ways to build the most appropriate production system,” said Toyota’s spokesperson.