Toyota Prius V 2012 News

Both cars are based on the Prius drivetrain and will appear in the first half of 2012 as a small, Yaris-based hatch and then later in the year as a stretched Prius platform that allows seating for seven people.So important are the new hybrid models to its future that Toyota has deliberately pushed its hot FT-86 coupe to one side.The two hybrids will escort a new Camry Hybrid - with its engine now made in Australia - and the ongoing Prius five-door hatchback through 2012.News of the two new Australia-bound hybrids preface the Tokyo motor show where Toyota will show five new hybrid, fuel-cell or electric vehicles.One car - the fuel-cell FCV-R sedan - is confirmation that Toyota is advancing on the development of an alternative automotive power source.Its appearance at the show - and expected 2015 launch - is the first time the fuel-cell technology has been seen in a passenger car. Previously, the drivetrain was hidden in a Kluger-Highlander SUV mule.It is unlikely Australia will see the FCV-R until its hydrogen fuel is more readily available. The first market for this car will be California which has hydrogen refuelling stations.Japan this month starts selling a plug-in version of the Prius that drives 24km on its batteries alone - but the car, like the FCV-R, isn't planned for launch in Australia.PRIUS C- Australian launch: First quarter, 2012- Price: About $25,000- Fuel economy: about 3.9 L/100kmThe Tokyo motor show represents the world premiere of the compact, Yaris-based hatchback. Toyota says the sub-4m body length is perfect for the city, its platform is designed for nimble handling and its shape seats four adults and enhances aerodynamic performance. It is powered by a lightweight hybrid system of a 1.5-litre petrol engine with a high-output electric motor. Toyota claims 2.5 L/100km on the Japanese test cycle, equating to about 3.9 L/100km on the more demanding Australian test. It will be launched in Japan next month as the Aqua.FCV-R- Australian launch: perhaps 2020- Price: n/a- Fuel economy: n/aThis is the world premiere of the fuel-cell drivetrain that has been tested for the past five years in a Kluger-Highlander SUV. It is planned for launch in 2015 in markets that have hydrogen fuel supplies. The hydrogen is regarded as a promising source of CO2 emission-free energy that can be produced from a variety of sources. The fuel-cell unit is beneath the passenger compartment. Toyota claims a 700km range with its 70MPa high-pressure hydrogen fuel tank.FT-EV III- Australian launch: concept only- Price: n/a- Fuel economy: n/aThis is the latest in a series of Toyota's electric concept cars and is based on the iQ city car now on sale in Europe. It is also marketed as an Aston Martin Cygnet. The FT-EV III is designed for short-distance trips and has a lithium-ion battery with an estimated cruising range of 105km. Though this is a concept, Toyota is known to be working on an electric version of the iQ that could be on the market in Europe as early as mid-2012.TOYOTA FUN-Vii- Australian launch: concept only- Price: n/a- Fuel economy: n/aToyota says this world premiere of its "quirky'' concept vehicle heralds a future where people, cars and society are linked. Radical. It is a key exhibit for the 42nd Tokyo motor show, which is being staged under the theme "Mobility can change the world''.PRIUS PLUG-IN HYBRID- Australian launch: perhaps 2020- Price: est. $35,000- Fuel economy: 3 L/100kmThis Prius Plug-in Hybrid goes on sale in Japan this month. It is heavily based on the existing Prius but has a new, high-capacity lithium-ion battery that can be charged from a household power outlet. This allows it to operate as an electric vehicle on short trips (up to 23km) and as a petrol-electric hybrid vehicle on medium to long trips. It can operate regardless of battery charge status or the availability of charging infrastructure.

The good news is that the cars of the future are not boring electric "golf carts" but sleek and sexy machines.Take for example the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept, or even the updated Toyota Prius C. Just as smart, but also featuring powertrain technology that is much further down the line, is the Hyundai Blue2 Concept, powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, or the Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV with a plug-in hybrid system that extends the use of the vehicle in electric mode.Here is a sample of the green vehicles on the stands at this year’s show:BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept: Making its Australian debut, this is the concept for the coming BMW i8. A conventional 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-diesel mated to a pair of electric motors powers this four-wheel-drive 2+2 sports car. The hybrid combination pumps out 265kW of power and 800Nm of torque, and can run on electric power alone for up to 50km, diesel only for 645km or a combination of both. The lithium-ion battery packs charge in just 2.5 hours from AC mains or 44 minutes on quick charge.Ford: The new Liquefied Phase Injection LPG technology in the Ford Falcon EcoLPi has improved power and torque and decreased fuel consumption (12.5L/100km) and CO2 emissions (203g/km). Ford will also show its long-awaited diesel Territory with a 2.7-litre V6 boasting fuel economy of 8.2L/100km.Holden: The Ecoline Series II Cruze range with a new generation 2.0-litre turbo diesel (5.6L/100km) is Australia’s most fuel-efficient locally-built car. The stand will also feature the Cruze 1.4-litre intelligent turbo induction (1.4 iTi) petrol engine (6.4L/100km manual) and other Ecoline models, including the Commodore E85 flex-fuel and Spark Ignition Direct Injection V6 powered Commodores and Captivas.Honda hybrids: Honda will show the stylish Honda CR-Z coupe petrol-electric hybrid that arrives here later this year, as well as its second-generation Insight hybrid.Hyundai Blue2 Concept: This is the Korean company’s first sedan-style Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) powered by hydrogen. It delivers power of 90kW and fuel economy of 2.8L/100km. Being a concept car, it comes with a host of future electronic aids, such as an automatic opening door system, roof and side cameras to replace mirrors, and a motion sensor-operated infotainment system.Lexus LF-Gh Concept: This concept features the hybrid system already in the Lexus fleet, but is the first time the spindle-shaped grille that will become a feature of future designs will be seen here, and hints at a future grand touring sedan. Lexus Australia chief executive Tony Cramb says the LF-Gh reaffirms that hybrids can be sleek and stylish.Mazda Minagi: This is a crossover concept specifically engineered to be the first with frugal SKYACTIV technology diesel and petrol engines and transmission. The car is an insight into the coming CX-5.Mercedes-Benz C-Class: The range now includes the updated 7G-Tronic Plus seven-speed automatic transmission for improved economy. Diesel models come with the ECO start/stop function as standard, and the C250 diesel coupe boasts economy of 5.1L/100km. At the top end of the Benz range, the S350 diesel BlueTec luxury saloon has economy figures of 7L/100km.Mitsubishi ?i-Miev-based electric vehicle concepts: The i-MiEV is about to hit the showrooms and Mitsubishi already has an SUV variant, which will be on its stand. The Concept PX-MiEV has a plug-in hybrid system with fuel economy better than 2L/100km. It is powered by two permanent magnet synchronous motors and a 1.6-litre MIVEC engine. The PX-MiEV also features Smart Grid technology that allows the battery to power home appliances during a blackout or at peak times when electricity tariffs are high.Nissan Leaf: The all-electric Leaf hits showrooms next year. The World Car of the Year features a satnav system linked to the "Global Data Centre’’ in Japan so you just press a button to find the closest recharging stations.Toyota Prius C concept & Prius V: The latest in the Prius family are a funky coupe concept (C) and a people mover (V). The Prius C concept shows how stylish the Prius can be and the V shows how spacious it can be. The V also features a lightweight-resin panoramic moon roof, weighing about 40 per cent less than a regular glass roof of the same size. It will be the first to feature Toyota’s new Entune multimedia system with mobile internet and Microsoft’s Bing search engine. The system will offer live weather and traffic updates, along with monitoring the best fuel prices in town.Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion: The BlueMotion has the same 1.6-litre engine with the same output at 77kW and 250Nm as the 77TDI, but its fuel use is just 3.8L/100km compared with 5.12L/100km (77TDI) and CO2 of 99g/km (133g/km 77TDI). The gains are made from a lower idle speed, stop/start technology, aerodynamics and low rolling resistance tyres.Volvo V60 diesel plug-in hybrid: The world’s first diesel hybrid plug-in goes into production next year. The driver can choose from three modes: Pure, which is all-electric with a range of up to 50km, Hybrid with an average fuel consumption of 1.9L/100km and CO2 of 49g/km, and Power, which boosts total diesel and electric power to 200kW and 640Nm of torque with acceleration to 100km/h in 6.9 seconds. The turbodiesel drives the front wheels and an electric motor drives the rear axle. It can be recharged via a regular power socket in 4.5 hours on 10A charge.PLUS: There will also be displays by infrastructure companies including Better Place EV, which has announced plans to begin rolling out infrastructure in Canberra this year.

This possible addition to the Prius "family" shows its face soon at Melbourne's Australian International Motor Show in July. The versatile and spacious Prius v will feature on Toyota's stand alongside the Prius c Concept and the third-generation Prius. Prius v and Prius c Concept are aimed at broadening the appeal of Prius. Opinions of motor show patrons would feed into consideration of Prius v for the local market. Prius v is a family-oriented five-seater designed to meet the needs of growing families with active lifestyles. The v stands for versatility, which is reflected in the car's compact exterior and more spacious interior. Prius v was designed from the ground up as a new, dedicated hybrid vehicle with a shape that evolved from Prius it is not just an elongated version. It shares the current Prius platform while providing substantially more cargo space. Seven-seat Prius+ was also under study for the local market. Prius v shares the Hybrid Synergy Drive technology of the current-generation Prius, including its nickel-metal hydride battery pack. Inside, it delivers extra flexibility with its sliding second-row seats, the backs of which can recline up to 45 degrees. A fold-flat front passenger seat allows extremely long cargo to be carried.

And it will come with a lithium-ion battery pack, a first for Toyota.Toyota intends to turn Prius from a single car into a full line of vehicles, partly because of its future hybrid plans and partly because its research shows people around the world instantly associate the word Prius with hybrids. The first extension of brand Prius from today's five-door family hatch is an MPV, scheduled for a debut in March 2011 - most likely at the Geneva Motor Show in Europe.It is a relatively straightforward move for a car being called the 'Alpha' in Japan. The MPV sits on the same mechanical platform as the current Prius in showrooms, but gets a body stretch for space for an extra row of seats in the back. It will be about 300 millimetres longer overall, with a wheelbase increased by 20 millimetres. The name is a similar stretch, since the car is a 'plus-Alpha' addition to the Prius.The mechanical package will be inherited straight from the Prius, which means its 1.8-litre Atkinson-cycle petrol engine and THSII hybrid system. But it will lose out slightly to the regular car on fuel economy, thanks to its extra weight.The Alpha’s biggest claim to fame is the MPV will employ lithium-ion batteries, replacing the current Prius’s nickel-metal hydride type. At just one-third the weight of the current battery pack, the new Li-ion batteries generate greater power and are already in use in the prototype Prius plug-in hybrid.A five-seater version of the Alpha is also planned, but this vehicle will use the current nickel-hydride batteries to save cost, according to one Toyota insider. The same source tells Carsguide that Toyota is bullish about pricing and will take the Alpha seven-seater into showrooms with a price that undercuts many current MPV rivals, including the Honda Odyssey.