Toyota to sell new Prius hybrid with more power, range, style this winter

Toyota’s fifth-generation Prius hybrid, which has more power, acceleration, and driving range and a sleek, futuristic look, will go on sale this winter in Japan and the US.

A plug-in version will hit the market next year.

The automaker replaced an older nickel-metal-hydride battery with a smaller, lighter lithium-ion battery that resulted in almost double the horsepower, quicker acceleration, and a 50 percent longer range.

It also did away with the stodgy angular body for a sleeker look

Toyota has sometimes been criticized by environmentalists as dragging its feet on electrification

Simon Humphries, senior general manager of Global Toyota design, addressed the criticism by pointing out that to achieve carbon neutrality, everyone in the world must participate, and Prius is an eco-car within everyone's reach.

The Prius switches back and forth between a gasoline engine and an electric motor to deliver a cleaner drive than the models with regular combustion engines.

Also, while electric cars are zero-emissions, they need recharging, causing some consumers to be worried about running out of power on the roads. Hybrids have gas engines as backups.

Toyota has cumulatively sold more than 20.3 million hybrid vehicles, including Prius cars, around the world so far.

The new Prius was styled to be more stable, with a lower center of gravity, bigger tires, curvaceous lines, and a fancy interior.

The Prius, with its revamped styling and efficiency, will compete better not only with other hybrid models but also with the available generation of fully electric vehicles, said Stephanie Brinley, principal automotive analyst for S&P Global Mobility.