Prius PHV

The Toyota Prius has evolved in many ways since its introduction.  It has gotten larger, and its technology has gotten better.  But a new type of Prius is slated to be introduced today, September 10, at the Frankfurt Motor Show, which officially opens September 14. It is the 2010 Prius plug-in hybrid vehicle, or PHV. Toyota plans to deliver 500 of the cars to global test fleets starting this year, including 150 in the U.S. Toyota Motor Corp is the world’s biggest seller of hybrids, says the new PHV can be recharged at a household outlet, unlike a standard Prius, which uses a nickel metal hydride battery recharged from braking and deceleration to improve fuel economy. The new plug-in Prius can travel 12 miles solely on electricity from a lithium-ion pack. When the battery’s initial charge is depleted, the PHV functions like a normal hybrid.