Toyota joins the ranks of General Motors and Ford Motor Company by beginning development of a plug-in hybrid vehicle. Toyota says the vehicle, called a Plug-in HV, will begin testing almost immediately in Japan. Toyota is the first manufacturer to gain approval from Japanese officials for testing on public roads.
The plug-in vehicle uses the same nickel metal hydride batteries as the Prius, according to The Detroit Free Press. It is capable of traveling eight miles under solely electric power, about four times more than the Prius. The Plug-in HV can travel up to 62 mph under electric power, however, unlike the Prius.
The vehicle requires 1.5 hours of charging at 150 volts (three or four hours at 100 volts). The Plug-in HV is based on the Prius and is nearly indistinguishable from the outside.
