Toyota lends plug-in cars to local organizations

Prius Plug In Five Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid cars are now in San Diego as part of the company’s efforts to find out how they will perform in the real world. Qualcomm and the California Center for Sustainable Energy each have two, San Diego Gas & Electric has one.

The cars are among 600 production models based on the 2010 Prius that Toyota is lending to organizations worldwide to fine-tune its design and help utilities better understand how the electric cars will affect grid operations.

Each car features a larger battery than a standard Prius and can go 13 miles, and up to 62 mph, using only electricity.

When the battery charge is depleted, the car’s gasoline engine kicks in and it operates like a standard Prius, in which an electric motor using battery power supplements the battery charge.

It will take three hours to fully charge the battery using standard household power, and half as much time using a 240- Volt connection.

When the cars hit dealerships in 2012, they will cost more than a typical Prius, which now sells for about $22,000, though Toyota won’t say how much more.

Toyota is one of several companies introducing plug-in cars in coming years. The $100,000-plus Tesla Roadster is the first of the current generation of plug-in cars to hit the road. Nissan plans to roll out its Leaf all-electric car in December, and plug-in models are expected from Chevrolet , Mitsubishi, Tesla, Aptera and Fisker, among others.

Some use only electricity, others have gasoline engines that turn on when batteries are depleted.

Supporters of the battery-powered cars say they help reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions because they can move without burning gasoline.

But, because they rely on expensive batteries, the cars are pricier than similar non-electric models. State and federal governments are handing out rebates and tax credits in an effort to make the cars more affordable.

Enthusiasts have wanted Toyota to develop a plug-in car for years. Some have gone so far as to retrofit their existing cars with batteries, including clients of Plug-In Conversions, a Poway company.

But Toyota has resisted, until now.

"Toyota has never focused on being first to market," said spokeswoman Jana Hartline. "We focused on being best."

Onell Soto: (619) 293-1280; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; follow me on Twitter: @onellsoto.

Article Source: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/jun/29/plug-prius/