Garden Office Blog

Plug-in Prius trial set to begin

By Steven Willis on 29th June, 2010

Toyota and EDF Energy have announced a trial of plug-in hybrid Prius models in London, that will begin in July. The three-year programme will test the suitability of the mainly electric, ultra-low emission car in the city environment and could lead to a full commercial rollout of the model in the future. Data from the trial will also be used by authorities to help plan a plug-in vehicle infrastructure that will support the widespread use of electric cars.

While there are several other electric car trials underway around the world, and every major manufacturer has at least one concept model in the works, the plug-in Prius represents an interesting development. As it remains a hybrid, the car will be able to drop into petrol usage when necessary, with the electric element taking charge on short journeys. This means that unlike full electric cars the plug-in Prius won't suffer from a particularly limited mileage range. Toyota claims that the plug-in Prius will deliver 108mpg and 59g/co2 per km.

The Toyota Prius was one of the original petrol-electric hybrids, launching in 1997, and certainly became the most popular with consumers. By early 2010 more than 1.6m had been sold worldwide.

For all its popularity, the Prius has faced significant scrutiny and even backlash over its claimed eco-credentials. Concerns over the mpg performance, emissions breakdown and end-of-life procedure for the lithium-ion battery were raised by analysts, while the emergence of the car as an eco status symbol and choice of the liberal Hollywood elite also continues to draw disparagement from certain quarters.

Hopefully the plug-in variant of the Prius will prove to be the environmentally-friendly success it aims to be.


Category:  Environment

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