Toyota revamps Prius to restore hybrid’s halo

Toyota rolled out a 2.0l plug-in version of its Prius on Wednesday in an attempt to reboot the 25-year-old hybrid that was once at the cutting edge of low-emissions technology and appeal more widely to cost-conscious drivers.

Toyota billed the new Prius, with its shark-like front and ability to operate as an electric-only vehicle for most daily driving, as a way to bring hybrids to a wider audience. Battery-powered electric vehicles (EVs), such as those made by Tesla, remain too expensive for many consumers.

Launched in 1997, the petrol-electric Prius hybrid was a hit with eco-conscious drivers and even now is among the most fuel-efficient mid-priced cars. Though worldwide sales have reached about 5-million cars, the Prius has in recent years been overshadowed by Tesla and other cars that do not use petrol.

“We need ecological solutions within the reach of the many,” Simon Humphries, Toyota’s design senior GM, said at the launch. “The Prius is a car for the majority. It is a car to be driven by all people, not just a few.”

Despite touting accessibility, Toyota did not give details on the cost. The hybrid models will launch this northern winter and the plug-in hybrids will launch in the spring.

The new Prius will be the first to feature Toyota’s flagship 164kW 2.0l plug-in hybrid system, which includes an EV driving range about 50% higher than the previous model. It also allows for 0-100km/h in a claimed 6.7 seconds. 

In addition to Japan, it will be launched in North America, Europe and then other countries, Toyota said.

The retool also comes as Japan’s largest carmaker has come under increasing criticism for its reliance on hybrid technology, with environmental, social and governance (ESG) investors and environmental groups accusing it of being too slow to embrace fully electric cars.

Reuters reported in October that Toyota is considering a reboot of its electric strategy to better compete in the booming market it was slow to enter.

Toyota has also pushed back against critics, saying hybrids make sense in markets where infrastructure is not ready to support a faster move to battery vehicles.

Hybrids are often cheaper than EVs as they typically have smaller batteries and are not reliant on charging stations, important factors in markets where customers are price sensitive and charging infrastructure can be patchy.

According to Toyota SA, the new Prius is currently not under consideration for the local market.

Reuters