Toyota Says The Prius Is An Icon, Next Generation To Retain Hybrid Powertrain

The Prius is rumored to get an all-new fifth-generation in 2022 and while the Japanese automaker is coy on details, a high-ranked official confirmed that it will keep its role as the core hybrid in Toyota’s range.

As reported by Autocar, the new Prius could be based on the Europe-specific E3 platform merging elements from the GA-C (Corolla, CR-Z) and the dedicated electric bZ architecture. The ICE sales ban in Europe and UK won’t come before 2030, allowing enough time for another generation of the Prius to be a hybrid.

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Andrea Carlucci, Director Of Marketing And Product Development at Toyota Motor Europe, described the Prius as an icon for the brand, adding that it has to keep its role in being a front-runner with that kind of technology. More specifically, he said that “The Prius remains clearly iconic and stands for what we are: hybrid and a leader in electrification”.

As for Toyota’s future strategy, the high-ranked official said that hybrids are still “a center of gravity” for the brand which is planning on offering a series of alternatives to BEVs, including hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and fuel-cell powered models.

Since the debut of the first-generation Prius in 1997, Toyota has been updating the model every six years, which means 2022 is the right time for introducing its fifth generation.

The new model is expected to use the new generation “bipolar nickel-metal hydride battery” already introduced in the Toyota Aqua in Japan, bringing greater output and improving the efficiency of the hybrid system. The same technology will likely gradually find its way into the rest of Toyota’s hybrid range in the future.

Earlier reports have hinted at a conventional gas-electric hybrid Prius set to arrive in late 2022, probably with an updated version of the current 1.8-liter engine. However, there are also rumors for a more advanced hydrogen-electric Prius PHEV following in 2025 using Toyota’s hydrogen ICE technology that is currently in an experimental phase.