Toyota to Release Home EV Chargers in 2012

According to media reports, Toyota Motor will launch home battery chargers for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles next year.

It is reported that the chargers, which will also be compatible with non-Toyota cars, will come in two types. One would extend from the exterior wall of a home and the other would be for setting up in a garage.

The company also said it will start selling Prius-based plug-in hybrids by early 2012 mainly in Japan, Europe and the United States, expecting to have sales of more than 50,000 units a year.

Unlike a a conventional hybrid, the new Prius has the possibility of being plugged in to enable longer-distance driving using only electricity. The car is expected to cost as little as $36,072 (3 million yen in Japan).