Toyota finally announced the release of its new larger Pirus Model will be hit in the markets from the end of next year.It remains unclear exactly what body type the bigger model will employ, but a wagon or crossover body shell is expected.The new Prius model will use lithium-ion batteries, making it the first Toyota vehicle to feature the more powerful battery technology. Toyota’s current hybrid offerings – including the all-new Prius – use nickel-metal hydride batteries.The Prius now offers three performance modes that the driver can select: EV for or electric-only, ECO for economy and POWER for, well, you get it.In EV mode it is possible to travel up to a mile — at 24 m.p.h. or less —on battery power alone. But that discharges the battery, and it takes 20 to 30 miles of subsequent driving to recharge it.ECO moderates a driver’s more erratic tendencies. It can be left on all the time, as it was for my 69 m.p.g. run.The POWER setting takes its toll on mileage, but enables runs from 0 to 60 m.p.h. in 9.8 seconds. That will not induce whiplash, but it is four-tenths of a second quicker than the 2009 Prius.
The new model is expected to first launch in the Japanese market with a price tag of about $22,000.
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