The battery packages are said to include nickel-metal hydride cells or a more expensive lithium-ion pack, powertrain development manager Koei Saga told Automotive News.
The company already utilizes the cheaper NiMH tech for its entry-level Prius, while the plug-in edition benefits from the higher power density of Li-ion chemistry. It is unclear if the latest comments are related to a Li-ion pack for a traditional hybrid model.
The executive also suggested the company is considering an all-wheel-drive model to sell alongside the current front-wheel-drive configurations. Such an offering has not yet been officially confirmed, however.
The development delay has been blamed on additional late-stage refinement to the gasoline engine and hybrid system to maximize the jump in fuel efficiency over the third-generation model. Rumors suggest mpg ratings — currently at 51/38 city/highway — may rise by 10 percent.
“I think we will come up with a fuel economy that will surprise everyone,” Saga said.
Leave a Reply