Toyota has announced that New York City will be added to the company’s Prius Plug-in Hybrid vehicle (PHV) demonstration program. This will bring five Prius PHVs to the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for testing.
This new program will give NYC authorities the chance to expand their fleet of alternative fuel vehicles. It will also add to Toyota’s global fleet of 600 demonstration Prius PHVs.
“New York City has one of the world’s most aggressive and comprehensive sustainability plans – PlaNYC, which aims to reduce carbon emissions by 30 percent by 2030,” said New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. “Reaching our goal means having a more efficient vehicle fleet, and Toyota continues to be a great partner for City government, which has the world’s largest fleet of hybrid vehicles. I want to thank Toyota for making us a part of the Plug-in Hybrid vehicle program and generously providing these cars at no cost to the taxpayer.”
According to Toyota Albuquerque, the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid can be fully charged in approximately three hours from a standard 110-volt electrical outlet, or in 90 minutes with a 220-volt connection. This added capability helps the Prius PHV run on electricity for approximately 13 miles at speeds of up to 62 mph. For longer distances, the PHV reverts to its hybrid mode, operating as a regular Prius.
Toyota and New York City have partnered with each other in the past. NYC has already purchased more the 2,500 hybrid vehicles for its municipal fleet. New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport even has 10 prototype hydrogen Fuel Cell vehicles from Toyota for a demonstration program with the Port Authority.
Toyota’s involvement with NYC isn’t just about promoting sustainable transportation to the public. It’s also important for Toyota to get data regarding these advanced new vehicles before they become available to Toyota Maryland consumers. In early 2011, data from the U.S. demonstration programs will be posted on http://www.toyota.com/esq, showing the Prius Plug-in Hybrid vehicles are being used and how they are performing.
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