The Prius Plug-in Hybrid (PHV) Concept made its long-awaited debut on Tuesday, September 15, at the Frankfurt Motor Show. In late 2009, 500 PHV test-fleet vehicles will roll out globally, with 150 of those vehicles coming to the United States for testing under a variety of driving conditions and scenarios.
The PHV Concept, based on the 3rd-generation Prius, utilizes first-generation lithium-ion battery technology and enabled electric operation at higher speeds and longer distances than conventional hybrids. When fully charged, the vehicle is targeted to achieve an electric-only range of approximately 12 miles and will be capable of achieving highway speeds in electric-only mode. For longer distances, the PHV Concept reverts to "hybrid mode" and operates like a regular Prius. This ability to utilize all-electric power for short trips or hybrid power for longer drives alleviates the issue of limited cruising range encountered with pure electric vehicles.
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