Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announces the introduction of the “Prius Plug-in Hybrid”, a plug-in version of the third-generation “Prius” gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle, into key markets.

In part to gauge demand for the cars, Toyota said it would start leasing some 600 plug-in hybrids in the first half of 2010, for us by government agencies and businesses. Toyota will lease 230 units in Japan, 150 units in the United States, 200 units in Europe.

The Prius Plug-in Hybrid will also be introduced in the United Kingdom and Portugal, with the company also considering 10 other European countries, including Germany and the Netherlands, along with countries in other regions, such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

The Prius Plug-in Hybrid is powered by lithium-ion batteries and it can be charged from a regular electric outlet. Further, due to the battery’s expanded capacity, the vehicle has an extended electric-vehicle driving range, enabling use as an electric vehicle (EV) for short distances, while for medium and long distances, after battery power depletes to a level no longer allowing EV driving mode, the vehicle functions as a conventional gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle (HV) and it will reduce consumption of fossil fuels, and reduce CO2 emissions and atmospheric pollution.

The Prius Plug-in Hybrid runs 23.4 km with a fully charged battery, and an average PHV fuel efficiency of 57km/litre and CO2 emissions(1) of 41 g/km under specified driving conditions combining driving performance both as an EV and as a HV.

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