Toyota Prius Plug In Price

By: John Lester
Staff Writer
Published: Jul 10, 2009

Articles - Toyota Prius Electric Plug In Details

You may wonder what the price will be for the upcoming Toyota Prius Plug In hybrid when it enters mass production in 2012. The cost for the electric version will be a whopping $47,000. However, loyal customers will probably dig deep for a car that already has proven reliability.

Furthermore, those consumers will save money at the pump driving the Prius electric version, as gas hybrids and conventional cars continue to go to the pump. There are also mixed signals on what the electric range will be for the Prius. Most experts agree the new car will only offer a range of 12 miles or more, but these stats are not official, and things can rapidly change henceforth until 2012.

The timing could also be bad for Toyota as the Chevy Volt electric car will be available in late 2010. General Motors is promising an electric range of 40 miles, possibly more, when the vehicle debuts. The price of the Volt is expected to be around $40,000.

Automakers will need to post much bigger gains for their plug-in hybrids and pure electric vehicles. Traditional hybrids have gas engines, generators, and energy recapture devices installed to allow them to operate on gasoline, and these devices add considerable weight. That weight requires more electric power to haul around, which reduces the driving range substantially.

Electric cars also need a new set of rules, where 33 kilowatt-hours are a gallon of gas. Toyota seems to have finally given into the pressure, starting up its own program and handing over a couple of prototype plug-in automobiles to the University of California. The fact is, these electric hybrids are still going to be very expensive.

What makes the Prius concept automobile nice, is that it will be powered from an external power source, rather than always relying on the gas motor to recharge the batteries. If customers choose renewable energy sources for their power consumption, this is a good option for reducing one's carbon footprint. Charging the batteries through an electrical outlet at home saves fuel and reduces carbon emissions.

Details about the vehicle's recharging mechanism haven't yet been made public. However, the last time we actually saw it, the car got its energy from a special plug. Whether or not the new electric version will be just as exciting and popular as its hybrid gasoline model is yet to be seen.