Toyota Outlines Plans for Future Hybrid Development

Toyota has ambitious plans when it comes to hybrid and other alternative cars. By 2012, they will launch the plug-in Prius and a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle by 2015. Along with those more exotic introductions, they will also launch six new hybrids by the end of 2012.

Toyota is aiming for 20,000 plug-in sales in the first year, with a cost of $3,000 - $5,000 more than a Prius.

Four of the new hybrid vehicles will be Toyota and two will have Lexus branding.

Toyota continues to focus on hybrids because they are more cost and range effective than pure electric cars according to Mr. Uchiyamada, vice president of Toyota’s research and development.

“Based on the current battery tech, it is not feasible to have full electric vehicles to be the main way now,” he told reporters, through a translator, during a visit to Detroit. “There will be a period of time where plug-in hybrid vehicles will be used heavily. As battery technology gets better, there will be a transition to pure electric vehicles.”