Toyota has a new rechargeable battery, similar to one present in the popular Toyota Prius, and is ready to put it against all other electric vehicle competition, including the Chevy Volt EV, which has been competing with the Prius line.

Toyota says the new Prius should have higher miles per gallon equivalent than the Chevy Volt (while running almost solely on battery power). Vice President of Toyota U.S. Sales, Bob Carter, states "It's still an estimate, but we are confident it's going to be 95." This surpasses the Volt's 94 MPG-E rating by a point. The EPA will officially score the Prius sometime this month and US deliveries of the new Prius should begin in March.

Since preliminary estimates, the Prius Plug-In's ratings have improved thanks to updated control programs created specifically for the vehicle and future battery pack testing.  Chevy of course, is skeptical, but that's to be expected when the Volt gets 37 combined miles per gallon, compared to the estimated 50 MPE-E of the new Prius.

The new Toyota Prius also competes with Nissan's Leaf, making the three of these vehicles eligible for EV discounts from the government. The Plug-In will cost $32K, that's before a $2,500 federal tax credit.

Stay tuned to learn more about the Toyota Prius, including its arrival at Beaman Toyota, located at 1525 Broadway in beautiful Downtown Nashville, TN 37203. Interested in a current Prius? Stop on in and test drive one today!

Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-01/toyota-sees-plug-in-prius-exceeding-volt-s-u-s-fuel-efficiency.html