Toyota Plug-in Hybrid Certified for Public-road Tests

Toyota Plug-in Hybrid

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Tokyo July 25, 2007; TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) announced today that it has developed a plug-in hybrid vehicle and become the first manufacturer to have such a vehicle certified for use on public roads in Japan.

The TOYOTA Plug-in HV — certified for public road-use by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport — uses, like earlier TMC-developed hybrid vehicles, both a gasoline-powered internal combustion engine and an electric motor. But increased battery capacity gives it a longer electric-motor-only cruising range and a battery-charging device allows users to replenish the batteries using household electricity. These features enable the vehicle to run more often in gasoline-free, electric-only mode, such as on short trips in city driving. The resulting fuel efficiency improvements mean lower CO2 emissions and less fossil fuel consumption and, therefore, less pollution. Also, charging the battery with less-expensive nighttime electricity lowers total running costs, providing an economic benefit to owners.

Although challenges still exist in the development of pure electric vehicles such as a limited cruising range and issues related to cost, TMC still views plug-in hybrid vehicles as a promising technology for allowing electricity to serve as a viable power source for automobiles and is committed to their continued development as a key environmental technology.

TMC plans to conduct public-road tests in Japan with eight units of the TOYOTA Plug-in HV to verify electric-motor-only cruising ranges and optimal battery capacity. While doing so, it plans to provide the government with data for formulating testing methods for emissions and fuel efficiency and to consider TMC's measures for promoting plug-in hybrids and the use of electricity. There are also plans to conduct public-road tests of the TOYOTA Plug-in HV in the United States and in Europe.

Main Specifications of Toyota Plug-in HV

Vehicle	Name	TOYOTA Plug-in HV
	Length / Width / Height	4,445 / 1,725 / 1,490mm
	Weight	1,360kg
	Seating capacity	5 persons
Performance in electric vehicle mode	Cruising range	13km in the 10-15 Japanese test cycle
Performance in electric vehicle mode	Maximum vehicle speed	100km/h
Engine	Displacement	1,496cc
	Maximum output	56kW(76PS) / 5,000rpm
	Maximum torque	110N-m (11.2kg-m) / 4,000rpm
Motor	Type	AC synchronous motor
	Maximum output	50kW(68PS) / 1,200 — 1,540rpm
	Maximum torque	400N-m(40.8kg-m) / 0 — 1,200rpm
Secondary battery	Type	Nickel-metal hydride
	Capacity	13Ah (6.5Ah x 2)
	Rated voltage	202V
Overall system	Maximum output*	100kW (136PS)
Overall system	Voltage	202 — 500V
Battery charging	Power source	Household electrical power
Battery charging	Charging time	1 — 1.5hrs (200V), 3 — 4hrs (100V)

*Based on TMC calculations; output that the system can achieve using engine power and electric motor power (electric motor power is dependent on battery power)

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