Toyota has confirmed the introduction of the Prius Plug-in Hybrid, a plug-in version of the third-generation Prius petrol-electric hybrid vehicle.

Twenty will come to the UK in mid 2010.

The cars will be leased to government and local government offices, corporations, universities and research agencies, for use in a demonstration programme aimed at collecting real-world driving data and spurring the development of battery-charging infrastructure. 

Toyota will analyse feedback regarding from the fleet trials with the aim to beginning sales to the general public in two years.

The details of the UK leases will be the announced closer to the cars' arrival in the middle of next year. 

The Prius Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle (PHV) offers greater range on electric power only,  reducing fuel consumption and emissions.

The PHV uses lithium-ion batteries – a first for Toyota – which can be charged from an external source as well as by the car’s own hybrid drive system.

The Prius PHV can be charged using an external power source such as a household electric outlet and is the first vehicle produced by Toyota to be propelled by a lithium-ion battery.

Further, due to the battery's expanded capacity, the vehicle has an extended electric-vehicle driving range, enabling use as an electric vehicle (EV) for short distances.

While for medium and long distances, after battery power depletes to a level no longer allowing EV driving mode, the vehicle functions as a conventional petrol-electric hybrid vehicle (HV).

Thus, use is not constrained by remaining battery power or availability of battery-charging infrastructure.

Furthermore, PHVs, such as the Prius Plug-in Hybrid, are expected to achieve fuel efficiency superior to conventional petrol-electric HVs, reduce consumption of fossil fuels and reduce CO2 emissions and atmospheric pollution. Verifications and rules that gauge the performance of a PHV (i.e. official fuel consumption tests) differ from region to region, but in Europe, the Prius PHV emits only 59g CO2 per km in the New European Driving Cycle.