Toyota reveals two new hybrids

Both cars are based on the Prius drivetrain and will appear in the first half of 2012 as a small, Yaris-based hatch and then later in the year as a stretched Prius platform that allows seating for seven people.

So important are the new hybrid models to its future that Toyota has deliberately pushed its hot FT-86 coupe to one side.

The two hybrids will escort a new Camry Hybrid - with its engine now made in Australia - and the ongoing Prius five-door hatchback through 2012.

News of the two new Australia-bound hybrids preface the Tokyo motor show where Toyota will show five new hybrid, fuel-cell or electric vehicles.

One car - the fuel-cell FCV-R sedan - is confirmation that Toyota is advancing on the development of an alternative automotive power source.

Its appearance at the show - and expected 2015 launch - is the first time the fuel-cell technology has been seen in a passenger car. Previously, the drivetrain was hidden in a Kluger-Highlander SUV mule.

It is unlikely Australia will see the FCV-R until its hydrogen fuel is more readily available. The first market for this car will be California which has hydrogen refuelling stations.

Japan this month starts selling a plug-in version of the Prius that drives 24km on its batteries alone - but the car, like the FCV-R, isn't planned for launch in Australia.

PRIUS C

- Australian launch: First quarter, 2012
- Price: About $25,000
- Fuel economy: about 3.9 L/100km

The Tokyo motor show represents the world premiere of the compact, Yaris-based hatchback. Toyota says the sub-4m body length is perfect for the city, its platform is designed for nimble handling and its shape seats four adults and enhances aerodynamic performance. It is powered by a lightweight hybrid system of a 1.5-litre petrol engine with a high-output electric motor. Toyota claims 2.5 L/100km on the Japanese test cycle, equating to about 3.9 L/100km on the more demanding Australian test. It will be launched in Japan next month as the Aqua.

FCV-R

- Australian launch: perhaps 2020
- Price: n/a
- Fuel economy: n/a

This is the world premiere of the fuel-cell drivetrain that has been tested for the past five years in a Kluger-Highlander SUV. It is planned for launch in 2015 in markets that have hydrogen fuel supplies. The hydrogen is regarded as a promising source of CO2 emission-free energy that can be produced from a variety of sources. The fuel-cell unit is beneath the passenger compartment. Toyota claims a 700km range with its 70MPa high-pressure hydrogen fuel tank.

FT-EV III

- Australian launch: concept only
- Price: n/a
- Fuel economy: n/a

This is the latest in a series of Toyota's electric concept cars and is based on the iQ city car now on sale in Europe. It is also marketed as an Aston Martin Cygnet. The FT-EV III is designed for short-distance trips and has a lithium-ion battery with an estimated cruising range of 105km. Though this is a concept, Toyota is known to be working on an electric version of the iQ that could be on the market in Europe as early as mid-2012.

TOYOTA FUN-Vii

- Australian launch: concept only
- Price: n/a
- Fuel economy: n/a

Toyota says this world premiere of its "quirky'' concept vehicle heralds a future where people, cars and society are linked. Radical. It is a key exhibit for the 42nd Tokyo motor show, which is being staged under the theme "Mobility can change the world''.

PRIUS PLUG-IN HYBRID

- Australian launch: perhaps 2020
- Price: est. $35,000
- Fuel economy: 3 L/100km

This Prius Plug-in Hybrid goes on sale in Japan this month. It is heavily based on the existing Prius but has a new, high-capacity lithium-ion battery that can be charged from a household power outlet. This allows it to operate as an electric vehicle on short trips (up to 23km) and as a petrol-electric hybrid vehicle on medium to long trips. It can operate regardless of battery charge status or the availability of charging infrastructure.