Toyota plug-in HV
July 26, 2007 by Alborz Fallah
Toyota have delivered what everyone has been asking for, a car that you can just plug into your household electricity socket for more juice. Toyota Motor Corporation has announced today that it received approval from Japan’s Ministry of Land for the first plug-in hybrid vehicle (HV) to use on public roads in Japan.
Much like the Prius (pictured above), the car uses two engines, a standard petrol engine and an electric engine. However the difference is increased battery capacity which gives a longer electric motor-only cruising range and a battery charging device. The idea is that before you go to bed, when you put you plus in your mobile to charge, you also plug your car in.
This way, for short trips, the car can simply run on electricity alone!
So you save the planet and cut down on fuel costs, where is the catch? Toyota says there is still a limited cruising range and issues related to manufacturing cost. The Japanese giant will conduct further testing to determine the optimum cruising range as well as finding clever ways to reduce manufacturing costs.
Public road tests will also be conducted in Japan, Europe and in the States.
Specification table follows:
| VEHICLES | |
| Name | Toyota plug-in HV |
| Length /width/height | 4445/1725/1490mm |
| Weight | 1360kg |
| Seating capacity | 5 person |
| Cruising range | 13km in the 10-15 Japanese test cycle |
| Maximum vehicle speed | 100 kmh |
| Displacement | 1496cc |
| Maximum output | 56kW (76ps) / 5000rpm |
| Maximum torque | 110Nm (11.2kg-m)/4000rpm |
| Type | AC synchronis motor |
| Maximum output | 50kW (68ps)/1200-1540rpm |
| Maximum torque | 400nm (40.8kg-m)/0-1200 rpm |
| SECONDARY BATTERY | |
| Type | Nickel metal hydride |
| Capacity | 13Ah (6.5Ah x 2) |
| Rated voltage | 202V |
| Maximum output * | 100kW (136ps) |
| Voltage | 202 – 500V |
| Power source | Household electrical power |
| Charging time | 1-1.5 hours (200V) 3-4 hours (100V) |
Print it: 
Was that 13 klm range in a stop start test? Fantastic that should get you up to 100 klm in open road driving. I guess if you live near an airport you can drive it there, get on a plane to finish the trip and get a taxi at the other end. Hopefully the power plants producing the electricity to charge the thing are nuclear so the they don’t burn dirty fossil fuel to save burning refined fossil fuel. What happens to the battery when it’s spent do they punch a hole in it and dump it in the ocean, burn or bury it. Another example of uninspired, unoriginal thinking that will ensure the real cars are headed for the museums and we all get to drive rubbish toys.
Couldnt agree more with you World car ! Absolutley spot on the mark … But you forgot to also mention it looks like a peice of crap as well!!! Hmm not much going for it at the moment..
Yeah I think we should be looking to make V12s mainstream, oil being depleted? Its a myth. Lets go bigger, its better. Idiots. This is the future, sure it might not be significantly environmentally friendly yet over conventional cars, but give it time, the technology is still being developed. And there is also hydrogen cell which doesnt have this issue of having to dispose of batteries and uses….water.
Paul i dont think anyone is saying bring on the V12’s all they are saying (and I agree with) is this car is prob no better for the environment. and it prob costs about the same to run as some other small cars.
the biggest thing these cars face is,
1. the price is about the same as a top of the range vehicle in other makes.
2. power, people arent going to jump at these until they can produce some sort of respectable power. people are used to pretty powerfull cars now and you would have to go back like 30yrs to find a mainstream car with only 50kw
3. looks, why do hybrids have to look ugly. that could also be termed vandalism having these things running around
One of the issues about hybrid is that there is yet to be a commercial van or Falcon/Holden ute equivalent. Until they hit the road in any numbers they lack credibility.No wagon variants either.Toyota talks about the cost of the batteries being an issue but the cost of battery packs for the PRIUS has supposedly dropped.Are they trying one on?
Oil reserves being depleted?Probably not but production is expected to drop from the known reserves.New reserves are going to be more difficult & demand in China & India is increasing.All points to prices going up.l0l/100km might be looked on as the guzzler rate in a few years.