Over the last few weeks we’ve brought you details about Toyota’s plans to start plug-in hybrid vehicle trials in China (see article) and London (see article) – however, now one of these trials is officially under way – in France.
The Japanese manufacturer is teaming with energy provider EDF Energy, and the city of Strasbourg to launch a three-year plug-in hybrid electric vehicle demonstration. The project is expected to involve 100 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid vehicles and a dedicated charging infrastructure.
Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid.
The new Prius Plug-in Hybrid is based on the third generation Prius and comes with a lithium-ion battery pack. It has an electric range of up to 12miles at speeds up to 62mph. Its CO2 emissions in the European homologation combined cycle are just 59g/km.
Part of a global Toyota project that will also see plug-in hybrid vehicles deployed in Japan, the US and Australia, the trial in France has received support from the Research Fund managed by the French Environment and Energy Management Agency ADEME. It is also not the first time that Toyota has teamed with EDF Energy, having partnered with the company on European road trials for plug-in vehicles in France in 2007 and in the UK in 2008.
It is expected that EDF will set up around 150 charging points at users’ homes, at the private parking of partner companies and in public car parks while the city of Strasbourg will lease five plug-in hybrid vehicles with the remainder going to public institutions and private companies.
