Wednesday, July 19, 2006
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Toyota sees a future in plugging in vehicles -- instead of simply pulling in for gas.
Already a leader in the hybrid market with its Prius sedan, Toyota Motor Corp. plans to develop a hybrid vehicle that will run locally on batteries charged by a typical 120-volt outlet before switching over to a gasoline engine for longer hauls. The technology is far from being ready -- and there's no time line for when such cars might be offered for sale. Still, the automaker is taking a serious look at another idea aimed at reducing motorists' dependence on gasoline: flexible fuel vehicles capable of running on E85, an alternative fuel made of 85 percent ethanol. The plug-in being pursued by Toyota would be able to "travel greater distances without using its gas engine, it will conserve more oil and slice smog and greenhouse gases to nearly imperceptible levels," Jim Press, president of Toyota's North American subsidiary, said.