Toyota Launch Hybrid Features & Specs

Toyota plans to lead the world when it comes to fuel efficient vehicles. To that end, Toyota announced it plans to launch 21 new or redesigned hybrids by 2015 and bring to market a new fuel-efficient engine, which will first be used in its hybrids. And while the company will also continue to explore and offer electric and fuel-cell powered vehicles, its main emphasis will be on the hybrid market.

The decision to put most of its efforts into hybrids is driven by the company’s current success in this area. Sales of Toyota hybrids are expected to double this year and surpass the 1 million vehicles sold mark. In fact, Bloomberg News reports that Toyota is on track to sell 1.2 million hybrids in 2012, versus 620,000 in 2011.

 

 Toyota, in a prepared statement, said it “expects to maintain this level of sales, forecasting global sales of its hybrid vehicles to be at least 1 million units a year from 2013 to 2015.” The way it plans to drive these sales is by giving drivers more options, thus the need to introduce 21 new hybrids during this timeframe.

Toyota released few details about these future hybrid models, but some are already making their way through the development process. For example, at the recent Paris Motor Show, Toyota unveiled its 2013 Auris hatchback along with a new Auris variant, an extended-length Touring Sports hybrid model. The Auris Touring Sports has the same hybrid powertrain as the Prius V. Additionally, the hybrid powertrain will also be available in the regular Auris.

All of the new hybrids introduced over the next three years will benefit from Toyota’s work in improving the gas engine used in those vehicles. Toyota claims its new Atkinson cycle engine delivers both higher fuel efficiency and higher output.

And while Toyota’s main emphasis will be on developing hybrid models, it also will continue to explore other fuel options. In particular, it will offer its new eQ compact electric vehicle to local governments and select users in Japan and the U.S. The eQ car has a range of approximately 62 miles (100 km) and a top speed of 77 mph (125 km per hour). It should be noted that about two years ago, Toyota expected it would be producing thousands of these vehicles by now. However, these plans were curtained due to what still seems to be an overall lower interest level in electric vehicles compared to hybrids.

Toyota recently started selling the RAV4 EV compact SUV with an electric engine built by Tesla. The goal is to sell 2,600 of them in California at a cost of roughly $50,000 each.

Pushing the envelope on fuel types, Toyota also reaffirmed its commitment to fuel cell-based vehicles. The company has already demonstrated a hybrid / fuel cell prototype based on proprietary fuel cell technology. It plans to continue development work in this area and use it in a sedan-like fuel cell vehicle. (Toyota and Hino Motors, one of its subsidiaries, plan to bring a fuel cell bus to market by 2016.) resource by hybridsuv.com