Earlier this year when Toyota inked a partnership with Tesla to develop plug-in cars, many thought that it would be the end of the line for their hybrid technology found in their wildly successful Prius. Fear not, drivers with range anxiety! Toyota is looking to spin off the Prius as a sub-brand of sorts with two new hybrid models by the end of 2012.
A major beef that car buyers have when it comes to hybrids is size. While the standard Prius model offers ample space to carry some everyday stuff, it isn’t always suitable for growing families. One of the new models in the lineup will address the issue with 50% more room than the 2011 Prius and the ability to seat seven people. The design won’t be a reinterpretation of the Prius as a monster SUV but rather a combination of a Prius and a station wagon as spotted by DailyTech.
Besides the current Prius and new plus-sized model, there will also be a more compact version of the hybrid. There are questions if the smaller model will be more comparable in design to the Yaris or the FT-CH concept car that was shown off at the Detroit Auto Show.
