Photo: Toyota
Truth be told, we were expecting things to escalate quickly regarding the launch of the new Toyota Prius, but recent rumors, or better said, statements from Toyota officials will get green car lovers going.
There was no secret about the fact that Toyota will introduce the fourth-generation Prius in 2016, but things are looking to speed up if we are to consider what Toyota North America CEO Jim Lentz had to say about the new Prius.
Talking to the Detroit Free Press, Mr. Jim Lentz was kind enough to mention that the Prius is coming soon, but without hinting at a possible launch date. Also, the CEO was quick to add that he drove the car and 'it's fantastic', while also highlighting the last three Prius generations stayed on the market for enough to complete a six-year life cycle.
Judging by the fact that the current Prius made an appearance in 2009, we could see the new generation being presented this fall at the Tokyo or Los Angeles auto shows. The latter is more plausible since the market for EVs and PHEVs in California - Prius models included - is the largest in the US.
Last time we heard about the new Prius (codenamed 690A) was at the beginning of June when a set of spy shots from Thailand revealed the car during pre-production testing, heavily covered in black camo. Nonetheless, the most impressive aspect of the car is it could boast 40 percent thermal efficiency, the highest ever for a production vehicle.
The hybrid will be underpinned by the TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) platform and Toyota even allowed themselves the luxury of delaying the launch just to make sure the car's design and tech are up to date. But given recent statements, that could change. Or maybe the Japanese brand finished work earlier, which is fine by us to be honest.
Talking to the Detroit Free Press, Mr. Jim Lentz was kind enough to mention that the Prius is coming soon, but without hinting at a possible launch date. Also, the CEO was quick to add that he drove the car and 'it's fantastic', while also highlighting the last three Prius generations stayed on the market for enough to complete a six-year life cycle.
Judging by the fact that the current Prius made an appearance in 2009, we could see the new generation being presented this fall at the Tokyo or Los Angeles auto shows. The latter is more plausible since the market for EVs and PHEVs in California - Prius models included - is the largest in the US.
Last time we heard about the new Prius (codenamed 690A) was at the beginning of June when a set of spy shots from Thailand revealed the car during pre-production testing, heavily covered in black camo. Nonetheless, the most impressive aspect of the car is it could boast 40 percent thermal efficiency, the highest ever for a production vehicle.
The hybrid will be underpinned by the TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) platform and Toyota even allowed themselves the luxury of delaying the launch just to make sure the car's design and tech are up to date. But given recent statements, that could change. Or maybe the Japanese brand finished work earlier, which is fine by us to be honest.
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