Silicon Valley Leadership Group Receives First Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrids for U.S. Demonstration Program

SAN JOSE, Calif., June 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Silicon Valley Leadership Group will receive three Prius Plug-in Hybrid vehicles (PHV) as Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. (TMS) launches its U.S. plug-in demonstration program.  The Leadership Group is the first demonstration program partner to receive vehicles.  A total of 150 PHVs will be delivered to demonstration program partners across the U.S. as part of a global program to demonstrate plug-in hybrid technology, educate and inform the public, and capture real-world driving data.  

Keys to the PHVs will be handed over to the Leadership Group during an 11:15 a.m. PDT news conference at the Leadership Group headquarters.  Journalists in attendance are invited to take brief drives in the Prius PHV, which is capable of running on electricity only for approximately 13 miles at speeds up to 62 mph.  

The Prius Plug-in Hybrid is based on the third-generation Prius. The vehicle combines high-output lithium-ion batteries with Hybrid Synergy Drive® technology to offer an expanded, fully electric driving mode. The Prius PHV can be recharged in approximately three hours from a standard 110V electrical outlet or one and a half hours with a 220V charger.

A total of 600 Prius PHVs will be deployed globally, including the 150 in the U.S. Later this summer an additional 30 demonstration program vehicles will be assigned to Silicon Valley groups and companies, including University of California, Berkeley.

"This is a triple-win," said Carl Guardino, president and CEO of the Leadership Group. "Toyota's Prius Plug-in Hybrid cars are in alignment with our mission to advance technology, reduce our dependence on oil and improve our environment."

The Leadership Group will be gathering Prius PHV driving data for 18 months. Two vehicles will be driven by Leadership Group staff and one vehicle will be rotated among member companies every 6 weeks.

As it becomes available, data from the U.S. demonstration programs will be posted on www.toyota.com/esq. This readily available data will show how the plug-in hybrid vehicles are being used and how they are performing. As the vehicles gather miles, data such as fuel economy, miles driven, charging times and additional content will be viewable online. In addition, demonstration partners will be sharing data amongst themselves and comparing usage and performance of the vehicles. The information gathered from the demonstration program will be used in the development of the next generation Prius PHV coming to market in 2012.  

"Toyota and the Silicon Valley Leadership Group is a natural partnership," said Mary Nickerson, national manager, Advance Technology Vehicles, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A.  "Our advanced technologies, like the Prius Plug-in Hybrid vehicle, will be right at home with the most progressive and innovative companies in the Silicon Valley.  The Leadership Group's participation in the demonstration program will ensure that the vehicles we bring to market will not just meet customer expectations, but exceed them."  

Partnering with the Silicon Valley Leadership Group on this project are Coulomb Technologies, which will provide Coulomb Technologies' ChargePoint® Networked Charging Station and CH Reynolds, which assisted with charger installation.  

About the Silicon Valley Leadership Group

The Silicon Valley Leadership Group, founded in 1978 by David Packard of Hewlett-Packard, represents more than 300 of Silicon Valley's most respected employers on issues, programs and campaigns that affect the economic health and quality of life in Silicon Valley, including energy, transportation, education, housing, health care, tax policies, economic vitality and the environment. Leadership Group members collectively provide nearly one of every four private sector jobs in Silicon Valley. For more information, visit www.svlg.org  or call (408) 501-7853.

About Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc.

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. is the marketing, sales, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and Scion.  Established in 1957, TMS markets products and services through a network of nearly 1,500 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealers which sold more than 1.77 million vehicles in 2009.  Toyota directly employs nearly 34,000 people in the U.S. and its investment here is currently valued at more than $18 billion. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyota.com, www.lexus.com, www.scion.com or www.toyotanewsroom.com.

SOURCE Silicon Valley Leadership Group