Toyota to launch the hybrid Prius car in India.

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• Toyota the biggest car manufacturer of the world with good margins. The reason is they identify the needs of the customers well before other manufacturers do. Toyota is planning to launch the hybrid Prius car in India by January 2011. The hybrid Prius was launched in Japan somewhere around  May 2009 and is a great hit adding to the sales volume and margins of Toyota.
• The system basically involves a 1.5 litre 4 cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor to drive the front wheels. The car draws power from two sources of energy. 
• The Prius car also has another electric motor which only takes care of charging the batteries to enable long drives without worry of fuel shortage.
• The electric motor provides better torque with the same energy spent and is best suited for city slow moming traffic.
• At more criising speeds the petrol engine takes charge of the driving. The power from the engines is taken to the wheels through CVT technlogy that ensures smooth driving irrespective of the source from where power is drawn.
• The other progressive features of the Prius include keyless entry, touch screen display and steering and wheel cojtrols. The interiors of the car are sufficiently sci-fi to go with the "car of the future" appeal.
• The spce inside the car is quite different in the sense that it is designed keeping in mind the comvenience and comfort of the passengers. 
• With the rising cost of fuel in the market, no doubt fuel efficiency is of grear concern to the users. The aerodynamics used in  the Prius provides a combined fuel efficiency of 20km/litre.
• The petrol and the electric engine provide the Prius a 10bhp power to acheive the speed of 100km/hour from start in 10 seconds.
• Toyota is to commence the production of the Toyota Prius in India at its Bangalore plant from December 2010.
  

Toyota Motor has launched the third-generation Prius hybrid electric mid-size car in Japan.

The new Prius comes with four driving modes. The third-generation Prius will be released in stages in more than 80 countries and regions. Toyota plans to sell 10,000 units per month in Japan.

The manufacturer's suggested retail price of the new Prius ranges between JPY2.05m and JPY3.27m. The Toyota Hybrid System II for the new Prius has been more-than-90% redesigned and includes a 1.8-liter engine, a motor and a reduction gear.

The 1.8-liter gasoline engine reduces engine rpm during high-speed driving and raises fuel efficiency at high speeds.

Four Welcab Friendmatic models have been designed, out of which Types III and IV are scheduled for release in July 2009. Type II and Type IV are equipped with a remote-controlled power driver's seat with a seat-lowering function that facilitates moving to and from a wheelchair. Type III and Type IV are equipped with a device that electrically stows a wheelchair on the roof using a special-purpose remote control.

All vehicles in the series meet the new 2015 Japanese fuel efficiency standards set out under the Law Concerning the Rational Use of Energy. Emissions have also been reduced with levels 75% lower than the 2005 standards.