2011 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid

2011 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid, The Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid is the 911 GT3 of the hybrid world: a more potent, focused, plug-in Prius, for the hardcore who want to sharpen their hybrid’s performance. Not by cutting the 0-62mph sprint, obviously, but by reducing the Prius’s CO2 emissions from 89g/km to less than 60g/km. How does the Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid work, and is it an improvement on the standard Prius?

Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid, With a full charge, the plug-in Prius can drive solely on electric power for 12.5 miles. That’s double the zero-emissions range of the nickel-metal hydride Prius and, with a threshold of 62mph, around twice the maximum speed before the petrol engine joins in. Toyota reckons that 80% of UK car journeys are less than six miles, which means the plug-in Prius could theoretically complete a return trip without the engine stirring.

The Prius can operate as both a series and a parallel hybrid. In series mode, the electric motor turns the wheels; when more power is needed, the motor works in parallel with the petrol engine. The difference with the plug-in Prius is that it works for longer in series mode. But there’s always the safety net of the petrol engine, which eliminates the range anxiety – the fear of being stranded by a depleted battery – of purely electric vehicles.

Externally, the plug-in looks identical to a regular Prius, save for the flap above the front wheel arch that hides the charging socket. Under the skin the mechanicals are the same. There’s a 134bhp 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, supplemented by an electric motor yielding 153lb ft. Drive is sent to the front wheels via a continuously variable transmission.

On sale in the UK:     Pilot lease programme only, customer sales second half 2012, Engine: 1798cc 16v four cylinder, 134bhp @ 5200rpm, 105lb ft (plus 153lb ft from electric motor), Transmission:  Continuously-Variable Transmission, front-wheel drive, Performance: 10.9 sec 0-62mph, 110mph, <60g/km CO2 (est). How heavy / made of?1480kg/steel How big (length/width/height in mm)? 4460/1745/1490m