New York, Apr 16: Toyota Motor Corp. on Wednesday unveiled a new version of its Prius gasoline-electric hybrid car, promising even better fuel economy in a larger, more comfortable car. Toyota also pledged that the technology in the Prius would eventually spread throughout its lineup, saying gas-electric hybrids could become typical high-performance options.
The current Prius has seen sales grow steadily over the past two years to about 20,000 annually, thanks in part to its high fuel-economy and near-cult status among environmentalists.
The new Prius, going on sale late this year as a 2004 model, tries to rectify some of the shortcomings of the current version, with more interior space, better performance and more distinctive styling inside and out. Longer by five inches and heavier by about 100 pounds, the new Prius will also offer better fuel economy, with a combined city-highway average of about 55 miles to the gallon.
"You can't buy a greener mass-produced vehicle on earth than the new Prius," Fujio Cho, president of Toyota, said during a presentation at the New York Auto Show. Bureau Report