Rub your eyes. Yes, that is a person made of people.
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 70 countries and regions, with the largest markets in Japan and North America
Not long ago, there was one model of Prius for everyone to share. But now that one Prius has become a family: There’s one for everyone. There’s the original one, the bigger one, the smaller one and the one that plugs in. They’re all a little different, just like us. The Prius Family is growing: Which family member is your favorite?
— toyota.com/priusfamily to meet the Prius Family from Toyota.
Prius Family
In January 2011 at the North American International Auto Show, Toyota revealed the 2012 model year Prius v, an extended hatchback wagon, which is derived from the third-generation Prius, and is already named the Prius Alpha in the Japan market. Prius v features over 50 percent more interior cargo space than the original Prius design, and is expected to go on sale in North America late 2011.
Prius Alpha launched in Japan in May 2011. Alpha is the basis for the five-seat Prius v planned for launch in North America, and the seven-seat Prius + planned for launch in Europe. The Prius Alpha is available in a five-seat, two-row model and a seven-seat, three-row model.
Also in January 2011 at the North American International Auto Show, Toyota unveiled the Prius c concept, which in production form is expected to be cheaper and smaller than the current Prius hatchback. Prius c is expected to be a hybrid petrol-electric car. The ‘c’ stands for city-centric.
The Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid is a mid-size plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) to be produced by Toyota Motor Corporation and scheduled to be released to the market in the second quarter of 2012. The Prius PHEV is based on a third generation Toyota Prius (model ZVW30) outfitted with 5.2 kWh lithium-ion batteries co-developed with Panasonic, which enable all-electric operation at higher speeds and longer distances than the conventional Prius hybrid. The production version will be unveiled at the September 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show (September 15 to September 25).
Toyota Prius vehicles are also made of plant-derived bioplastics instead of petroleum-based products. The car bodies are made out of cellulose derived from wood or grass instead of petroleum. The two principal crops used are kenaf and ramie. Kenaf is a member of the hibiscus family, a relative to cotton and okra. Ramie, commonly known as China grass, is a member of the nettle family and one of the strongest natural fibers.