In short time, the MPV version of the Toyota Prius will be hit the MPV car market with higher fuel consumption, lithium-ion batteries and CO2 emissions. According to Japanese press, the Toyota Prius MPV car will be titled as Alpha. The Toyota Prius Alpha is a 7 seater car so it will carry more people and luggage weight. The first image of the new Toyota Prius Alpha MPV has already emerged.

The Toyota Prius is being a much admired car seeing that the vehicle’s sales have surpassed the two million unit mark at the end of last month. The first car was come in to view in 1997 in Japan and appeared in other markets in 2000 that now has marketed in more than 70 countries. Now Toyota is ready to develop the Prius family, therefore it will introduce a plug-in version and a Prius MPV in the global car market.

Current emerged shots of a new Toyota Prius MPV or Alpha Prius are not far from production and headed to the US. This models will be become the first hybrid in the Prius lineup to take up lithium-ion batteries. Currently, the Prius mini-minivan, dubbed Alpha is in final stages of development, it will unveil in March 2011 at the Geneva Motor Show.

In the latest Toyota Prius's emerged image, the tagline says, “The Prius family is getting a whole lot bigger”, that means Prius range upward to three from one, or the little increased in the overall car length. Prius has also posted images of Toyota Prius MPV on its Facebook page.

The car will be appeared with in hatchback style and seven seats that create it cozy. The car will use the hatch’s 1.8-L gasoline engine; however Toyota wants to change the earlier nickel metal hydride battery pack to a lithium-ion one. Because, Lithium-ion batteries can carry more energy and recharge faster than the nickel-metal hydride units fitted to the Auris and Prius hybrids.

As far as its dimensions is concern, the new Alpha will be by 300 mm or one foot longer than the standard Prius while its wheelbase will be made bigger by 20 mm. The car will make use of the same 1.8-liter Atkinson-cycle petrol engine that found on the current Prius and capable to develop 98 hp, however also an electric motor which will aid the car to deliver a total output of 135 hp. The latest car will not be more fuel efficient than the current Prius, actually the car is projected to be less eco than its brother.

The leading web portal DailyTech said that once the Toyota Prius MPV breaks from its cover, it will no doubt be followed by General Motors own take on its Volt, the Chevrolet Volt MPV5. So the competition of the 7-seater hybrids will commence.

Till now, the details regarding the Alpha Prius have been mentioned via these spy shots. Last few years, both a larger and a smaller Prius have been buzzed. Price of the Toyota Prius MPV will be declared in late 2010. But, the 7-seat Toyota Prius MPV Alpha is expected to be priced in Japan below 2.5 million (approximately $27,700).

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