It was at that time that the Toyota eQ, a full electric version of the iQ minicar, was revealed to the world. This was supposed to start a much larger trend toward pure electrics, but “two years later, there are many difficulties,” according to Toyota vice-chairman Takeshi Uchiyamada. “The current capabilities of electric vehicles do not meet society’s needs, whether it may be the distance the cars can run, or the costs, or how it takes a long time to charge.”

Yes, we’ve seen the launch of such vehicles as the Chevy Volt and the Nissan Leaf, but Toyota is going to spend more time working on what it already does best: hybrids. The Toyota Prius is the first car that comes to the mind of consumers when it comes to gas-electric hybrid cars and Toyota plans on furthering that established leadership. In fact, they are expecting to have 21 hybrid cars in the lineup by 2015, 14 of which will be all-new. They want to have a hybrid variant of every vehicle they sell.

The plug-in hybrid market hasn’t been very good for Toyota either. They wanted to sell between 35,000 and 40,000 Prius plug-in hybrids in 2012 in Japan, but they have only sold 8,400 to date. It’s no wonder that they really want to focus on their bread and butter of “conventional” gas-electric hybrids.

With the wider rollout of the eQ city car put on hold, Toyota is now left with just one pure electric in the form of the all-electric RAV4, an SUV that it co-developed with Tesla Motors. They’re looking to sell about 2,600 of those in the next three years.

[Source]

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are increasing in popularity and in variety. Even within Toyota, they have introduced some new variants to the Prius line, but what if you want something even smaller and even more efficient? That’s where the newly revealed Toyota Aqua cruises into the picture.

The Toyota Aqua, from what I can see, looks to be roughly Yaris-sized and is purpose-built for the Japanese urban commuter. This is Toyota’s smallest hybrid offering on the market and it is said to get 35.4 km per liter; that works out to about 83MPG or 2.8L/100km. That’s better than its Prius stablemate, which “only” gets 32.6 km per liter.

The good news is that Toyota isn’t keeping the Aqua to just the roads of Japan. They have plans to roll it out worldwide next year to about 50 countries around the globe. It may not be known as the Aqua when it reaches a dealership near you, though, as it is being marketed as the Prius c on the international market. The European version is based on the Yaris, but gets the same hybrid system.

Pricing for the Toyota Aqua in the Japanese domestic market is set to start at 1.69 million yen (about $22,000), though the local price in other markets will surely vary.

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Although friendly to the environment, hybrid cars have always been branded as “leisurely stroll” vehicles; Toyota plans to change that perspective with their own “plus” announcement.

The limited edition Prius will come with a choice of just four exterior colors (pearl, silver, black and gray), an interesting addition of front and rear lower spoilers, side skirts and a rear diffuser, adding a touch of aggressiveness to the rather docile creation, but also lowering its drag.

The Prius Plus Performance Package sits slightly lower than a standard car, with 1.1 inches dropped in the front and 1.3 inches in the rear.  With the 17” forged alloys comfortably wrapped by 215/45R17 tires, a rear sway bar introduced to help reduce body lean, as well as unique badges make the altered Prius seem just a tiny bit more serious than the standard model.

The Performance Package will be compatible with any existing Prius model, also enabling new customers to have it installed on the Prius Two, Three and Four for an extra $3,699, or an extra $3,000 for the Prius Five.

While the addition is relatively harmless, for some it may be what they need to boost up their confidence, as well as turn the funny-looking Toyota hybrid into something actually worth looking at. Anyone interested can place an order starting this month.

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You know that Toyota Prius+ unveiled earlier this month? It’s only the beginning. Toyota is pledging to launch no fewer than ten new electric vehicles (which may or may not include hybrids) by 2015.

The flood gates are already opening. We’ve already been introduced to the iQ-based EV and the Yaris HSD, but these guys are getting joined by all sorts of other electrified peoplemovers like the taller Prius V and the “funkier” Prius C.

I wouldn’t be surprised if they carry the now iconic Prius moniker throughout the line of ten more electrics. After all, they’ve only done V, C, and + so far. They’ve got 24 more letters to go, not to mention the possibilities of using the entire array of mathematical symbols. The upcoming vehicles will include full EVs, as well as cars of the fuel cell variety.

[Toyota]

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If Jeremy Clarkson despises the Toyota Prius with a passion, he may be enlisting an angry mob with pitchforks and flaming torches for the newly revealed Toyota Prius+. It takes everything about the hybrid car and makes it even less appealing to diehard enthusiasts.

This expansion on the Prius family is the first full hybrid in Europe to seat seven people. The styling is almost reminiscent of a Mazda5, you could say, so it might have to be five rather fit (or small) people. The other tidbit is that it’s the first non-plug-in hybrid from Toyota to use a lithium-ion battery pack.

In addition to the extra seats, Toyota has also put in an integrated panoramic sunroof, but it’s fixed in place. It would have been so much nicer if it was retractable… but then again, it would be so much better if it wasn’t a Prius either.

There’s no mention of North American availability, but Toyota is expecting to launch the Prius+ in Europe starting in the first half of next year. Expect a deplorable Top Gear review to follow shortly thereafter… if the Soccer Mom-inspired vehicle eventually makes its way across the line.

[via Toyota UK]

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Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrids

Despite some of the more recent hits to the company’s bulletproof reputation, the Toyota Prius continues to be the most iconic of the hybrid vehicles on the market. Even so, it’s still “just” a regular hybrid; that could soon change.  A new version is in the works and this take on the Prius will actually be a plug-in hybrid electric model. You can plug into a wall outlet so that it can recharge its internal batteries and the Canadian province of Manitoba will be among the first to actively test the new vehicle.

For these trials, Toyota Canada is partnering up with the University of Manitoba and Manitoba Hydro. The widespread availability of hydro electricity makes Manitoba a good choice for the tests and it helps to position the province to adopt more of these cars in the future. It’s easy enough to see how these electric cars function under the more ideal conditions of California, but how will it hold up to a rough Canadian winter? The one year trial could be quite revealing.

[CBC]

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