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July 29, 2007 – Vol.12 No.19 Toyota to Partner with UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, California Energy Commission and California Air Resources Board Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) Development. The PHEV prototypes based on the current-generation Prius, will be powered by oversized packs of nickel-metal hydride batteries that effectively simulate the level of performance Toyota expects to achieve when it eventually develops its own more advanced, compact and powerful battery systems. (Toyota has apparently delayed plans to use lithium-ion batteries in the next-gen Prius which could still be a PHEV.) The PHEV's prototype battery pack is capable of storing significantly higher levels of electricity, supplied by "plugging into the grid" for periodic recharging sessions. With significantly more electric power in reserve, the vehicle will be capable of operating in pure-electric mode for longer periods of time and at much higher speeds than the current Prius. This will result in substantial gains in fuel economy and a major reduction in total tailpipe emissions of smog-forming gases, over current conventional hybrid systems. In California Prius PHEV prototypes will be delivered to the Advanced Power and Energy Program at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) and the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Berkeley (UCB). An additional phase of the partnership will be through the Alternative Fuel Incentive Program jointly developed by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the California Energy Commission (CEC). In Japan the Japan Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport has certified Toyota’s prototype plug-in hybrid vehicles for testing on public roads. (7/25/07)
Links: Toyota http://www.toyota.com Advanced Power and Energy Program at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Berkeley (UCB)
Disclaimer, Forward-Looking or Safe Harbor Statement on original press release: No
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