Toyota has decided to showcase the fourth generation of the hybrid Prius prior to the Frankfurt Motor Show.
Originally scheduled for the September show in Frankfurt, the 2016 Toyota Prius has been confirmed for debut on September 9 in Las Vegas.
Toyota’s representatives have confirmed that the new vehicle will be shown to fans and media around the world on September 9. However, the spokesman for Toyota, Ryo Sakai, hasn’t revealed a date when the production will start or when the sales will commence.
It has been seven years since the last Prius arrived. The third generation of the hybrid arrived in 2009 and it was an instant hit, not just in Japan, but in the US and other foreign markets as well. The third generation of the Prius was the first ever hybrid to top 500,000 sales in just one full year on the market. However, with sales dwindling in Japan and the US, it is time for Toyota to update its popular vehicle. One of the reasons for the popularity of the Prius in the US was the high gasoline prices. With prices coming down, the Prius is falling off the radar.
The 2016 Prius will be the first among Toyota models to implement the new “Toyota New Global Architecture” or TNGA. The new component set will help all Toyota vehicles to shed significant amount of weight. The 2016 Prius, for example, will shed 100kg which will help with the centre of gravity, now being lower than in previous versions.
The 2016 Toyota Prius will also get more efficient engine, with both electric and gasoline motors improved. The fuel efficiency is expected to get 10% improvement, and Toyota will install the CVT drive system in it. Prius will be the first car by Toyota to use the TNGA platform, with the platform expected to debut in all 2016 and 2017 models, such as the Yaris and the Avalon.
While Toyota expects to make the Prius a full electric vehicle in the future, the company will continue to produce the plug-in hybrid model. Wireless charging is a special new feature in the plug-in hybrid model, with owners being able to charge their vehicle via a special pad.
Regarding charging, reports from a few weeks ago indicated that Toyota might install a new, lithium-ion battery in higher end Prius models, while the entry model of the 2016 Prius will stick to the nickel-metal battery.
Apart from the standard version of the Toyota Prius, the previous models included Prius Liftback, Prius V and Prius C hatchbacks. All of those three are expected along with the 2016 Toyota Prius.
