2010 Toyota Prius photos revealed

Toyota has confirmed that the leaked photos of the 2010 Toyota Prius doing the rounds on the net, are indeed real. The 2010 Toyota Prius will be launched at the Detroit auto show in January 2009.

2010 Toyota Prius photo

Toyota has said the 2010 Toyota Prius will retain all of the virtues of the model that precedes it. It would be about the same size as its predecessor, but with more interior room and better fuel economy.

The 2010 Toyota Prius looks a lot like the existing Toyota Prius in terms of shape, but has less slope on the roof and the hood as compared to the current Toyota Prius. The Toyota Prius has retained its five-door hatchback shape, though the nose and tail are higher. The lower grille and front bumper of the 2010 Toyota Prius is borrowed from the Toyota Corolla and Toyota Matrix.

2010 Toyota Prius front

The engine is expected to grow from 1.5 to 1.8 liters, while the maximum speed may go up to 120 mph from 106 mph.

Some reports hint at the possibility of a solar option for the 2010 Toyota Prius. The solar panels are expected to be built into the roof of the vehicle and will be used to send charge to the batteries continuously, and also charge the battery when parked. The solar panels will also be used to power climate control systems..

The solar option is likely to give a peak power of 250 watts, assuming reasonably priced photovoltaic material is used.

2010 Toyota Prius dashboard

The official statement issued by Toyota on October 21, 2008, says that the Toyota will provide better fuel economy.

The 2010 Toyota Prius will come with a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine designed like the existing 1.5-litre unit.

The 2010 Toyota Prius is also expected to have more room and luxury options.

Toyota Prius

Toyota is likely to launch a plug-in version of the Toyota Prius in 2010 – 2011. The car is expected to use lithium ion batteries, once the lithium ion battery technology is ready. However, initially the number of units that will be launched will be limited.

The 2010 Toyota Prius is likely to be priced at $1,000 above the 2008 Toyota Prius, and will cost approximately, $23,000.

The Toyota Prius launched in 1997 in Japan was the first mass-produced hybrid car in the world. However, the 2010 Toyota Prius will have heavy competition from various companies launching hybrid models.

Toyota is currently considering launching a Prius sub-brand for larger and smaller hybrid vehicles in the US.

There is the highly-anticipated Chevrolet Volt for one, that is likely to debut in 2011. The Chevy Volt promises to come with Lithium Ion batteries, plug-in capability, and a small gasoline engine that charges the batteries instead of turning the wheels directly.

Ford, Hyundai, GM, Nissan and Honda are all set to launch their hybrid models.