Next Prius to offer 94 mpg?

The next Toyota Prius will offer an astonishing 113 mpg, according to a report in the U.K.’s AutoExpress magazine. (Note: 113 mpg in the U.K. is equal to 94 mpg here in North America). “The whole electrical system has been redesigned to improve economy” said a Toyota engineer was quoted as saying. “We are working on a prototype that runs solely on the electric motor in slow traffic, but switches to engine and motor drive when higher speeds are needed.” The 0-62 mph time will also be improved by more than a second, according to the report, bringing it to well under 10 seconds. Much of the improvement can be attributed to the use of lithium-ion batteries instead of nickel-hydride units. The lithium-ion batteries are smaller, lighter, and have greater electrical output.