The first UK appearance of a production ready Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid resulted in a class win in the RAC Future Car Challenge.
The 60-mile route from London to Brighton saw the new Prius model return an average fuel consumption of 94.2mpg in the challenge event for electric, hybrid, and low emission vehicles, resulting in it being awarded the title of Best Overall Plug-in Hybrid.
Toyota will launch the Prius Plug-in Hybrid on the UK market next year, incorporating a high capacity, rechargeable lithium-ion battery which has a range of approximately 14 miles, along with a 1.8-litre VVTi petrol engine. During battery-only operation the Prius Plug-in Hybrid creates no tailpipe emissions and zero fuel consumption, and is designed to switch over to the petrol engine automatically once the battery's range has been exhausted. The battery is projected to have a one and a half hour full recharge time, and Toyota claims it expects the production model to have sub-50g/km average CO2 emissions, and a combined 134.5mpg fuel economy figure.
Toyota demonstrated other technologies at the RAC Future Car Challenge, including the FCHV-adv hydrogen fuel cell vehicle which it is due to be launched in 2015. This power system produces only water emissions. The Japanese manufacturer was well represented at the RAC Future Car Challenge, as the event also featured a British-built Toyota Auris Hybrid driven by world steam-powered land speed record holder Don Wales and his son Joe.
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