What Is a Plug-In Hybrid?

A Plug-in Hybrid is a hybrid vehicle which can also recharge batteries directly from household electricity as an electric vehicle. It is an evolution through integration of hybrid and electric vehicles.

Utilizing hybrid technology developed over many years, Toyota has increased the secondary battery capacity and extended the cruising range of the electric-motor-only driving mode (EV mode). In addition to reducing CO₂ emissions and gasoline consumption as well as contributing to air pollution control, extending the EV mode cruising range also offers the additional economic benefit of reduced total fuel costs, including the cost of gasoline and electricity.

Further savings can be achieved in countries that offer discounted electricity rates when recharging at night. In addition, when recharging using energy generated from solar power, a radical reduction of CO₂ emissions stands to be gained.

Because the Prius Plug-in Hybrid "regeneration system" restores electricity from heat energy which was generated from braking or taking the foot off the gas pedal in deceleration at a higher rate than conventional hybrid vehicles, depending on driving technique, a Plug-in Hybrid vehicle can deliver better fuel efficiency than a conventional Prius even with empty batteries.
Additionally, superior fuel efficiency on short trips has been demonstrated, even when driving in hybrid mode with empty batteries, it is possible for the Prius Plug-in Hybrid to have better fuel efficiency than a conventional hybrid. Since of course there are no worries about "running out of electricity", we reaffirm that even on longer trips; the Plug-in Hybrid vehicle demonstrates its power.