Toyota may make plug-in hybrid the standard option for the Prius range by as early as 2014, according to a new report from Japan’s Nikkei business daily.
The Prius Plug-in Hybrid will feature high-performance lithium ion batteries, enabling it to travel more than 60km (37 miles) per liter of gasoline, compared with 38km (24 miles) for the current version, the paper said.
The Prius Plug-in Hybrid model is expected to start at around 2.05 million yen, about the same level as the current Prius.
The Prius Plug-in Hybrid will be launched by early 2012 in Japan, the United States and Europe, with targeted sales of more than 50,000 units a year.
