The brand new 2023 Toyota Prius performs up energy, not gasoline financial system • TechCrunch

Toyota is beefing up the fuel-sipping Prius hybrid, including extra energy and faster acceleration to attraction to a wider vary of automotive buyers in an more and more crowded market.

The automotive created – and dominated – the section when it launched within the U.S. 22 years in the past. However the world’s first manufacturing hybrid automotive has steadily misplaced floor to new fashions from American, German, Japanese and Korean automakers because it enters its fifth technology.

The 2023 Toyota Prius debuted Wednesday night on the Los Angeles Auto Present with a sportier powertrain and curvier, low-slung silhouette to broaden its attraction to sports activities automotive clients who wouldn’t have thought-about a Prius previously. Nonetheless, the hybrid received’t develop into a lot greener: Toyota mentioned the brand new mannequin can ship 57 mpg, much like the outgoing Prius.

Toyota mentioned the brand new mannequin encompasses a decrease roofline and wider rear for a extra trendy, athletic look.

The usual, front-wheel-drive mannequin will now produce 194 horsepower, a 60% improve over the earlier technology. The brand new hybrid can journey from 0 to 60 mph in 7.2 seconds – slower than a sports activities automotive however nonetheless a 26% enchancment over the earlier Prius’ 9.8 second journey.

The facility enhance comes from the brand new hybrid’s bigger engine and a smaller, lighter lithium-ion battery that will increase output 15% over the earlier technology’s nickel metallic battery, in accordance with Toyota.

Prius Prime

A decrease, longer and wider Prius Prime, the nameplate’s plug-in hybrid model, additionally debuted on the auto present Wednesday night , boasting a 50% improve in its electrical vary.

That means that the brand new Prime will be capable to journey roughly 37 miles on a totally charged battery earlier than drawing energy from its fuel engine, in contrast with the outgoing mannequin’s 25-mile vary.

Toyota mentioned it can announce pricing and supply dates for the Prius hybrid later this 12 months and for the Prius Prime early subsequent 12 months.