Toyota · 2012–present

Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid

The Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid (often abbreviated as the Prius PHEV or PHV and initially marketed as the Prius Prime in North America, South Korea, and New Zealand from 2016 to 2024) is a plug-in hybrid liftback manufactured by Toyota. The first-generation model was produced from 2012 to 2016. The second-generation model has been produced since 2016. Production of the third-generation model began in 2023. The Prius Plug-in Hybrid was the second most sold plug-in electric car in 2012, and became third-best all-time in December 2014. As sales declined after the end of its production, the Prius PHV fell to fifth place in the global ranking by November 2015, after being surpassed by both the Tesla Model S and the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. As of December 2017, sales were led by North America with 66,800 units, followed by Japan with 48,800, and the European market with 13,100 units. The U.S. was the leading country market with 65,703 units sold by 2017. As of December 2019, cumulative global sales of both Prius plug-in generations totaled 209,000 units.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

All Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years → + Compare

Concept and demonstration models

The Prius Plug-In Hybrid Concept was exhibited at the September 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, the October 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, and the December 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show. The vehicle was based on the third-generation Toyota Prius (model XW30) but outfitted with 5.2 kWh lithium-ion batteries. The selected battery capacity is the minimum required for a vehicle to be eligible for the U.S. federal tax credit of US$2,500, which under the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 applies to the first 200,000 plug-ins sold by an automaker. After displaying the concept version in these three shows, a global demonstration program involving 600 pre-production test cars began in late 2009 and took place in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand and the United States. The demonstration vehicles were made available for lease to fleet and government customers, of which, 230 were delivered in Japan beginning in late December 2009, 125 in the U.S. by early 2010, and 200 in Europe in spring 2010. All program vehicles were equipped with data tracking devices to allow Toyota to monitor the car's usage for further development of the plug-in hybrid system. The pre-production Prius Plug-in used three different batteries: two added batteries to provide all-electric drive and the standard hybrid battery which engages when the first two are depleted, allowing the car to operate like a regular hybrid Prius. According to Toyota, when the vehicle started, it operates in all-electric mode, drawing electrical power directly from the first battery pack. When the first battery was depleted, it disconnected from the circuit and the second pack engaged. When the second pack was depleted, it disconnected from the circuit and the vehicle defaulted to conventional hybrid mode, u

First generation (XW30; 2012)

For the first-generation Prius plug-in, the total all-electric range in blended mode is 18 kilometres (11 miles) as rated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA fuel economy rating is 95 miles per gallon gasoline equivalent (mpg-e) (2.5 L/100 km; 114 mpg-imp) in charge-depleting (all-electric or EV mode) and a combined city/highway rating of 4.7 L/100 km (50 mpg‑US; 60 mpg‑imp) in hybrid mode, the same as the conventional Prius liftback. The car was based on a third-generation Toyota Prius (model XW30) outfitted with a 4.4 kWh lithium-ion battery co-developed with Panasonic. Deliveries of the production model began in Japan in January 2012, in late February in the United States, and by late June 2012 in Europe. A total of about 75,400 first-generation units were sold worldwide through April 2016. After the conclusion of the demonstration program, the production version of the Prius Plug-in Hybrid was unveiled at the September 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. Toyota ultimately only did a small production run of this first-generation Prius Plug-in Hybrid between January 2012 and October 2016. A cumulative total of 75,400 vehicles were sold worldwide between December 2012 and April 2016. The United States led sales with 42,345 first-generation units delivered through September 2016, when dealerships run out of stock. Japan ranked second with 22,100 units, followed by Europe with 10,600 units, both through January 2017. The first-generation Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid has a maximum electric-only speed of 100 km/h (62 mph). Because of that limitation, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rated the vehicle as having a range of 18 km (11 mi) in blended mode (mostly electric, but supplemented by the internal combustion engine). The EPA

Second generation (XW50; 2016)

The second-generation Prius plug-in is called the Prius Prime in the United States, Canada, South Korea and New Zealand and Prius PHV in Japan and Europe. It was first available for sale in late 2016. It has an EPA-rated all-electric range of 40 km (25 mi), over twice the range of the first-generation model. The EPA-rated fuel economy is 133 mpg‑e (25.3 kW⋅h/100 mi) in all-electric mode, 40% more than the first-generation model, and the highest mpg-e rating in EV mode of any EPA-rated vehicle with an internal combustion engine. It is based on the fourth-generation Toyota Prius (model XW50) outfitted with a drive system powered by an 8.8 kWh lithium-ion battery. Retail deliveries of the Prime began in the United States in November 2016, and it was released in the Japanese market in February 2017. In August 2013, just months after that the first-generation Prius Plug-in Hybrid went on sale, Toyota announced that the company was already working to develop the fourth-generation Prius (XW50). They also announced that unlike the prior generation, where the plug-in battery was added to the existing Prius, the second-generation plug-in would be developed in parallel with the standard Prius model. One of the major issues Toyota wanted to correct with the new-generation plug-in was to add additional all-electric range. Both the fourth-generation standard Prius and the second-generation plug-in would benefit from advances in battery, electric motor and gasoline engine technologies that would enable significantly improved fuel economy and driving performance, in a more compact package that is lighter in weight and lower in cost. The next Prius models would use improved batteries with higher energy density, smaller electric motors with higher power density, and the gasoline engine w

Third generation (XW60; 2023)

The third-generation Prius Plug-in Hybrid was unveiled on 16 November 2022 for the 2022 Los Angeles Auto Show. This model is powered by a more powerful 2.0-liter M20A-FXS four-cylinder engine which is combined with the electric motor to generate a combined output of 164 kW (220 hp; 223 PS), an 82% increase over the previous generation and 13% more than the non-plug-in model, and offering a 0 to 97 km/h (0 to 60 mph) time of 6.6 seconds, according to Toyota. Because of this performance increase, in the North American market, Toyota markets the Prius Prime with its sport-oriented trim levels: SE, XSE, and XSE Premium. Unlike the second generation, but similar to the first generation, there is little external visual differentiation between the traditional Prius and the plug-in version. Now under the back seats, the 13.6 kWh lithium-ion battery pack has a more than 50% greater capacity compared to the previous generation. The vehicle is equipped with Toyota's updated audio multimedia system that debuted on the XK70 series Tundra and the Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) 3.0 suite of advanced driver-assistance systems. It is the first model to offer the TSS 3.0 system's Traffic Jam Assist function that allows the driver to go hands-free, with the on-board computers handling acceleration, braking, and steering under 40 km/h (25 mph). The XSE Premium trim also offers optional solar panels under its glass roof that charge the battery while the vehicle is parked and provide supplemental power for accessory functions like air conditioning while it is being driven. Markets. ==== Japan ==== In Japan, grade levels offered for the Prius PHEV are the G and Z, the M20A-FXS engine is standard on all trims. North America. The North American market Prius Prime is available in three grade levels:

Markets and sales

Toyota's initial global sales goal was to sell more than 60,000 Prius PHV a year, with Japan as the main market and aiming for 40,000 units, two-thirds of the carmaker's global sales goal. During its first year in the market, a total of 27,279 Prius PHVs were sold worldwide, allowing the Prius PHV to rank as the second most sold plug-in electric car for 2012. Sales in 2012 were led by the United States with 12,750 units delivered, followed by Japan with 10,970 units. In 2012, the Prius PHV was the best selling plug-in electric car in Sweden (499 units) and the top selling plug-in hybrid in the UK (470 units), France (413 units), and Norway (171 units). The top selling European market was the Netherlands, with 1,184 units sold during 2012. Accounting for cumulative sales since its inception, the Prius PHV ranked as the world's third best selling PEV by December 2014. By May 2015, the Prius plug-in fell to fourth place after the Tesla Model S. and by November 2015 it was also surpassed in the global ranking by the Mitsubishi Outlander P-HEV, as the Prius sales declined after the end of its production in June 2015. As of April 2016, global first-generation Prius PHVs sales totaled 75,400 units since 2012, with the North American market accounting for 56.6% of all sales. The United States led sales with 42,345 units delivered through September 2016, when dealerships run out of stock. By the end of 2016, the Prius plug-in ranked as the world's all-time third top selling plug-in hybrid after the Volt/Ampera family of vehicles, and the Mitsubishi Outlander P-HEV. The second-generation Prius Prime was released to retail customers in the U.S. in November 2016, and in Japan in February 2017. Toyota expected to sell up to 60,000 units globally a year, with Japan accounting for mor

Recognition

The Toyota Prius Plug-in was a finalist for the 2010 Green Car Vision Award. The Prius Plug-in won the 2012 Urban Green Vehicle of the Year Award. Shared with the Toyota Prius v, the Prius plug-in was awarded Green Car Report's Best Car to Buy 2012.

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name

Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid

Manufacturer

Toyota

aka

Toyota Prius Prime (2016–2024)

Production

January 2012 – present

Model years

2012–present

Class

Compact car (C)

Body style

5-door liftback

Layout

Front-engine, front-wheel-drive

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

US EPA fuel-economy records

US EPA test figures (US MPG, US test cycle).

Sources

• Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7830860CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Prius_Plug-in_HybridCC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1375605175 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Toyota_Prius_(XW60)_Plug-in_Hybrid_IMG_9905.jpgCC BY-SA 4.0 · Photo: Alexander-93 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Manufacturer website (link only) — https://www.toyota.com/priusprime/Link only; no content copied · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.

More from Toyota