The big hybrid plug-in

Don't think for one minute that they've been sleeping. No indeed, with the commercial success of its current hybrids, Toyota recently shared the next steps in advancing hybrid technology. It was recently announced that they'll be working with the University of California Irvine, and the University of California, Berkeley, to further sustainable mobility. But that's not all - Toyota plug-in prototypes have also been approved for testing on the pubic roads of Japan. "The Toyota Prius convinced mainstream consumers on the merits of hybrids," said Dave Illingworth, senior vice president and chief planning officer for Toyota Motor Sales. "Although there is much work to be done with plug-ins, we see this pilot program as a significant step in the advancement of the technology," said Illingworth in a recent press statement.

It's the slow evolution of battery development that's holding up plug-ins from taking over cleaner transportation more quickly. Current nickel-metal hydride battery technology is standing in for further battery development that will not only offer more reserve power, but also have more staying power at higher speeds than the current battery packs. Check out our battery compartment photos from the 2007 Prius here, and read our full review of the current Prius.

And there's more good news: a recent study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory confirmed what we all know by now: hybrids save gas. Quite a lot of it, actually. NREL numbers tally hybrid gas-savings in the arena of 215 million gallons since their intro only 8 short years ago. And that's 3.5 million tons of CO₂ not spewed into our air.

Not bad for one decade. Just think what we can do moving forward if we all get on board. Thanks for the inspiration, Toyota. Go, go, go!

battery technology is the key to plug-in development - flickr image courtesy Sheraz Sadiq - Plug-In Hybrid Cars - KQED QUEST Flickr Set