Detroit Auto Show: Toyota teases new hybrid concept vehicle

Toyota Hybrid Concept teaser - Click above for high-res image gallery

Toyota, the Undisputed Heavyweight Hybrid Champion of the World, has just announced that it will unveil a new gas-electric concept vehicle at the Detroit Auto Show next month. Beyond that, details are decidedly scarce. As a dedicated model, this apparently won't be a hybridized version of a current Toyota model but a new vehicle entirely, and, judging by the two teaser images released with the announcement, it doesn't appear to be quite like anything the automaker has shown us before.

With that out of the way, let's speculate a bit. We've been hearing that Toyota is considering expanding its Prius range with both a sporty coupe and a roomier wagon, so this could be a conceptual version of one of those models. Or not. We'll find out for sure on January 11 when we point our own DSLR lenses at the concept in Detroit. In the meantime, feel free to hit the jump for the extremely brief press release and peruse the two high-res teaser images in our gallery below.

Source: AutoBlog

News: Toyota officially launches plug-in Prius program, retail sales in 2011

Toyota Prius PHEV - click above for high-res image gallery

In Japan today, Toyota officially launched its Prius Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) lease program. Over the next six months, Toyota will be building and deploying 600 examples of the plug-in Prius for testing primarilly in Japan, United States and Europe. The Japanese market will get 230 units, with 150 coming to the States and 200 going to Europe. The cars will be leased to government, commercial, and university fleets for field testing that help to gather more data on how PHEVs are used in the real world.

To accommodate plug-in charging the Prius gets a 5.2 kWh lithium ion battery pack in place of the standard nickel metal hydride unit. The battery and associated charging hardware appear to be the only significant mechanical changes to the PHEV. The motor and other hybrid hardware are apparently carried over intact. Even with the standard motor, Toyota claims a maximum EV speed of 62 mph.

On the Japanese JC08 cycle, the Prius can run about 14.5 miles before depleting the battery. It's not clear what the performance level will be in EV mode and what sort of driving will trigger the engine to start up while the battery still has available power. Based on that driving cycle, the PHEV is rated at 72 mpg (U.S.) in post-EV hybrid mode which compares with the 50 mpg or so that we typically see in real use. Since the hybrid system is essentially unchanged, the 14 mile range is probably a bit optimistic. The combined efficiency based on a utility factor of .436 (43.6 percent of driving in EV mode) the Prius is rated at 134 mpg (U.S.). The PHEV Prius will undoubtedly get very good mileage, but we suspect that triple digits are unlikely for most people. During the presentation, Toyota also announced a target of retail sales for the PHEV of late 2011 at an "affordable" price. Video of the presentation and the press release are after the jump.

Source: AutoBlog

New Car: Toyota FT-86 Concept

The FT-86, a compact rear-wheel-drive sports car, provides driving joy and excitement. Compact design gives driver greater control, while body’s lightness and low center of gravity allow racecar-like handling. Both power and environmental performance provided by 2-liter boxer engine and light body.

Flash Red body color contains hint of blue; interior expresses modern feel with minimal coverage of the highly refined structural components evoking enthusiasm for cruising This year, the Toyota-brand exhibit continues its theme from the previous Tokyo Motor Show: “Harmonious Drive—A New Tomorrow for People and the Planet”. This theme expresses TMC’s commitment to making cars that brim with individuality but that are also in harmony with society.

The Toyota-brand display will include a compact rear-wheel-drive sports vehicle that embodies the joy of driving and the pleasure of ownership—the fundamental appeal of motor vehicles. The display will also feature environmentally friendly concept vehicles including a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHV), the type of vehicle considered best suited for widespread use to effectively meet CO2 emissions restrictions and the diversification of energy, and an electric vehicle (EV) suitable for short-distance trips.

Source: Babez