According to Toyota, a Prius plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powered by lithium-lon batteries will become available for fleet buyers beginning in late 2009.Nikkei news reported that Toyota will start mass producing the plug-in hybrid for regular consumers in 2012, and the estimated price will be ~USD48,000. Battery-only range and other operational details will be soon known, based on the performance of the 500 prototypes that will go into test fleets late in 2009.

What is a Plug-in Hybrid,

and how is it different from

any other hybrid?

A Plug-in hybrid is basicaly like any other hybrid, but it has a bigger battery pack, and can travel the first 35-45 miles with lithium-ion batteries, 20-25 miles with NI-MH batteries, and 5-15 miles with lead acid batteries in purely electric mode. A plug-in conversion can cost anywhere between 3,000-20,000 dollars, depending on the batteries you purchase. The E.P.A. numbers also shoot up aswell, going anywhere from 100-180 miles-per gallon. You also have to plug it in to any 110-120v outlet, and takes about 5 hours to 8 hours to fill the battery.

With a normal hybrid car, unlike the plug-in hybrid, you dont have to plug this one in. The small NI-MH batteries a charged by the petrol motor, and can only travel up to 1-2 miles on purely electric mode. You also dont get as well of gas mileage in a conventional hybrid, then a plug-in, 45-53 miles-per gallon is what you should expect.

Whats the difference between

Honda's hybrid, and Toyota's

hybrid?

Honda (unlike Toyota's hybrid.) is only an assist hybrid. Its I.M.A. (integrated motor assist.) system uses a 93hp 1.3L petrol motor, assisted by a sluggish 20hp electric motor. So it makes it very hard for the little DC electric motor to get the 2,995 Civic hybrid (or Insight.) rolling. So the petrol motor is always running.

On the other hand, we have Toyota's Prius witch is a parallel hybrid, that uses Toyota's advanced Hybrid Synergy Drive system, witch uses a 76hp 1.5L petrol motor, paired with a 67hp AC electric motor. That makes it easy for the Prius to run on purely off the electric motor up to 34mph, but that speed is Toyota's limit for the electric motor speed, now there is a sensor you can purchase that will let you travel up to speeds of 70-80mph of the electric motor alone.