Toyota Prius

The Toyota Prius is a Hybrid Electric Mid-Size Car developed and manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation. The Prius first went on sale in Japan in 1997, making it the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle. It was subsequently introduced worldwide in 2001. The Prius is sold in more than 40 countries and regions, with its largest markets being those of Japan and North America. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the 2008 Prius is the most fuel efficient car sold in the U.S. The UK Department for Transport also reported the Prius is tied as the third least CO2-emitting vehicle on sale in the UK.

The Toyota Prius have released 3 model over 1997 to 2008. Those 3 models are NHW10, NHW11 and the latest NHW20.

The Toyota Prius - NHW10 Model

The first Prius, model NHW10, went on sale in December 1997. It was sold only in Japan, though it has been imported privately to the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. Many of these cars are now being exported as second-hand vehicles to New Zealand and other countries.

The Toyota Prius - NHW11 Model

The 2001–2003 Prius for the United States market was powered by a 1.5-liter 4 cylinder gasoline engine, a permanent magnet AC electric motor, and a 274-volt nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery pack. In the United States, the NHW11 was the first Prius to be sold. The Prius was marketed between the smaller Echo and the larger Corolla.

The Toyota Prius - NHW20 Model

The Prius was completely redesigned into a mid-size liftback which is between the Corolla and the Camry in size. The new model is 6 inches (150 mm) longer than the previous version which has more aerodynamic body resulted. The new Hybrid Synergy Drive (HSD) uses an all-electric compressor for cooling. Combined with a smaller and lighter NiMH battery, the NHW20 is more powerful and more efficient than the NHW11.