The Prius evolution

At Toyota we are continuously taking measures to reduce the CO2 emissions, considering the entire life cycle of a vehicle: from design and production to use and finally to disposal and recycling phase. In order to measure the overall environmental impact of the Prius Plug-in Hybrid, a detailed LCA was carried out in accordance with ISO 14040/44. The new Prius PHEV was developed in such ways that it delivers better environmental performance than its predecessors. Comparing the plug-in model with the Prius HEV, an overall CO2 reduction of 20% can be achieved.

The Tsutsumi plant in Japan, where the Prius PHEV is manufactured, is continuously implementing innovative solutions to reduce its environmental impact. It has developed new technology in the painting process to reduce CO2 emissions in production and installed a 2000 kW photovoltaic system which provides energy comparable to the power usage for some 500 households The plant has also introduced more stringent water standards, aiming to return water that is cleaner than that originally used to the local river system. A biotope that supports indigenous species such as Japanese rice fish, crucian carp, and dragonfly has been created with the aim of raising awareness of biodiversity, conservation, and the utilization of treated wastewater.