Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid: Look for the evolution of sustainable transportation on the roads in Quebec this summer

Toyota ‘plugs-in’ to a new sustainable mobility evolution; delivers Prius Plug-In Hybrid to Quebec test partners

A new era in sustainable mobility began real-world tests in Quebec today, as Toyota Canada delivered a Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid (Prius PHV) to its Quebec provincial partners at a ceremony.

To mark the occasion, provincial partnership representatives were on hand to officially ‘plug-in’ to the future and deliver the Prius PHV to Québec. Quebec Deputy Premier and Minister of Natural Resources and Wildlife Nathalie Normandeau, Rector and Vice-Rector of Université Laval, Denis Brière and Eric Bauce, Hydro Quebec’s Senior Director of Strategic Planning and Government Affairs Pierre-Luc Desgagné, and Toyota Canada’s Managing Director Stephen Beatty, were all present for the delivery at Université Laval’s campus today.

Toyota’s Quebec partners will share the data collected by their Prius PHV, which will be fitted with telematics equipment to record vehicle and hybrid system performance.

“Today, I am proud to help welcome the first Toyota Prius Plug-in hybrid to Quebec. We intend to become an international leader in the field of electric vehicles by creating a climate that will help them flourish throughout the province. I am pleased that Toyota Canada chose Université Laval to spearhead its research project, which will benefit all of Quebec. This is a wonderful opportunity to acquire knowledge and expertise that will strengthen our ties with the industry and enhance Quebec’s reputation as a leader in sustainable development,” said Minister Normandeau.

For Denis Brière, the Rector of Université Laval, “such partnerships show clearly how Université Laval is becoming a reference point for innovation and sustainable development. We offer an environment where testing systems can be set up for all branches of knowledge, benefitting everyone, both locally and internationally.”

The Senior Director of Strategic Planning and Government Affairs for Hydro-Québec, Pierre-Luc Desgagné, says that the company is playing an active role in the electrification of transportation: “This is the fourth project of this kind that Hydro-Québec has supported in the past year. The interest of the project involving Toyota in Québec is related to the participation of Université Laval and the data that will be gathered regarding the car’s behaviour and driving habits, with a view to planning recharge infrastructures.”

“We are all more conscious of the need to manage our energy use and reduce our environmental footprint,” said Stephen Beatty, Managing Director at Toyota Canada Inc. “We believe the Prius PHV will help Canadian drivers minimize their impact on the environment, with its ability to operate in electric-only mode, with a range and top speed that makes this practical for most day-to-day trips. Toyota Canada is pleased to deliver the first Prius PHV to our partners in Quebec today as we help kick off of the Canadian test trials of this vehicle.”

“Toyota is grateful to have such important partners join us as we work together to gather invaluable real-world impressions and feedback,” Mr. Beatty continued. “But we’re not surprised since Quebec has already shown great vision in planning for a more sustainable future for personal transportation.”

Based on the world’s most popular hybrid vehicle, the Toyota Prius PHV is designed to deliver a range of more than 20 km and top speed of almost 100 KPH on battery alone. In addition, an onboard Atkinson-cycle gasoline engine enables the vehicle to revert to hybrid mode and operate like a regular Prius - giving the vehicle the driving range and performance Canadians demand from today’s automobiles.

The Toyota Prius Plug-In achieves a fuel consumption of just 1.75L/100km and CO2 emissions of 41 g/km under specified driving conditions (combined electric vehicle and hybrid vehicle modes). Compared to the typical conventional midsize automobile, driving a Prius PHV for one year is expected to reduce one’s fuel consumption by 1,650 L (83%) and one’s CO2 emissions by almost 4,000 kg (or 4 tonnes)   (Fuel consumption is an estimate based on the Japan JC-08 test.  Fuel savings and emissions reductions claims are based on a comparison with the average fuel consumption of all midsize vehicles listed in Natural Resources Canada’s (NRCAN) Fuel Consumption Guide, assuming yearly average driving distances of 20,000 km/year).

Canada has been selected as one of the participating countries for Toyota’s global test of the Prius PHV. Five Prius PHV vehicles hit the roads this summer with 15 trial partners in 4 provinces in the first phase of a nationwide trial, including Quebec. This enables Toyota Canada to conduct technical and market acceptance tests unique to Canada’s driving experiences and climatic conditions. The real world trials will continue through the coming winter to assess Prius PHV performance under a range of driving and climate conditions. Moreover, feedback from the Canadian tests will help ensure the Prius PHV performs well in any country where drivers encounter cold temperatures, ice and snow.

Canadian Prius enthusiasts are encouraged to join Toyota Canada’s Prius PHV facebook page for information on consumer test-drive event opportunities, telematics feedback updates from the test trials, and more on Toyota’s sustainable mobility efforts (http://www.facebook.com/ToyotaCanadaPriusPlugIn).