Toyota Motor Co. announced Friday that it will begin renting its plug-in Prius hybrid vehicle in Nagasaki Prefecture in what will be the Japan’s first rental service for plug-in hybrids.
Two plug-in Prius hybrids will be available at a Toyota rental and leasing company in the city of Goto.
Rental fees will be 8,400 yen (US$95.73) for up to six hours, 9,450 yen for up to 12 hours, 11,550 yen for up to 24 hours, and 9,450 yen for each additional day.
The plug-in Prius hybrids are essentially the same as the current third-generation full hybrid Prius, but are equipped with a lithium-ion battery that can be recharged by plugging it into a standard 240-volt outlet.
The rechargeable battery technology gives plug-in Prius extended capabilities when it is driven in EV mode: capable of running for up to 12.5 miles solely on its electric motor – battery charge and road conditions permitting – at speeds up to 62mph, it can accomplish the great majority of typical urban journeys with zero fuel consumption and tailpipe emissions. Prius Plug-in’s combined cycle fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are 108.6mpg and 59g/km respectively.
