Hybrid Car Review

Toyota will be bringing along two concept vehicles of interest to the Tokyo Auto Show. The first, we've seen before is the Prius plug-in hybrid, which may be arriving in the US by 2012.  The second is a compact EV designed for urban driving over short distances, the FT-EV II.

Plug-in Prius Concept
The plug-in Prius concept to be on display in Tokyo is based on the third-generation Prius. It can be plugged in and recharged in about 180 minutes at 100V and 100 minutes at 200V.

The plug-in Prius aimed to have 55 km/l or better, CO2 emissions of 42g/km or less and an EV cruising range of 20 km or more on a fully charged battery. The battery is a lithium-ion battery pack, unlike the third generation Prius which uses nickel metal hydride still.

Specs:
Length: 4,460 m
Width: 1,745 mm
Height: 1,490 mm
Wheelbase: 2,700 mm
Seating: 5

FT-EV II

The other concept is the world premier of the Future Toyota Electric Vehicle II (FT-EV II). It's a compact EV designed for short distances. 'It is based on the idea of a future mobility society in which EVs are common, and means of transport are divided according to purpose, the characteristics of the energy to be used and the status of the supply infrastructure.'

Features include:

• Ultra-efficient package with body more compact than ultra-compact "iQ", but still with seating for four
• Drive-by-wire technology enables joystick operation of all functions including accelerator, brakes and steering wheel; ample legroom provided by elimination of accelerator and brake pedals
• Vehicle designed with low front cowl and auxiliary window below windshield for outstanding forward visibility; further consideration paid to safety around vehicle led to see-through LED rear combination taillights
• Electric sliding doors on both sides facilitate ingress and egress, particularly in narrow spaces
• Top-speed of over 100km/h
• Easy coverage of over 90km on fully charged battery—ample for everyday use
• Extremely quiet and comfortable ride with smooth acceleration, thanks to TMC-cultivated motor-control technology, which is part of the hybrid system at core of TMC's environmental technologies

Specs:
Length: 2,730 m
Width: 1,680 mm
Height: 1,490 mm
Wheelbase: 1,900 mm
Seating: 4