rolled out a 2-litre plug-in version of its Prius on Wednesday, in an attempt to reboot the 25-year-old hybrid that was once at the cutting edge of low-emissions technology and appeal more widely to cost-conscious drivers.
"We need ecological solutions within the reach of the many," Simon Humphries, Toyota's design senior general manager, said at the launch. "The Prius is a car for the majority. It is a car to be driven by all people, not just a few." The new Prius will be the first to feature Toyota's 2-litre plug-in hybrid system, which includes an EV driving range that is about 50% higher than that of the previous model, Toyota said.
The retool also comes as Japan's largest automaker has come under increasing criticism for its reliance on hybrid technology, with ESG investors and environmental groups accusing of it being too slow to embrace battery electrics.of its electric strategy to better compete in the booming market it was slow to enter.against critics, saying hybrids make sense in markets where infrastructure isn't ready to support a faster move to battery vehicles.