Toyota launched the first mass-produced plug-in hybrid car, the Prius Plug-in.
Toyota began selling the Prius Plug-in Hybrid in 2012, following an earlier demonstration and trial program. It was based on the conventional Prius but added a larger rechargeable battery that could be charged from an external electrical outlet.
A plug-in hybrid combines an electric motor and battery with an internal-combustion engine. Unlike an ordinary hybrid, it can travel farther using electricity alone before the engine becomes useful for additional range. The Prius Plug-in therefore occupied a middle ground between a conventional hybrid and a fully battery-electric car.
The first-generation model had a relatively short electric-only range, but it demonstrated a scalable approach to reducing fuel use without requiring drivers to depend entirely on public charging. Toyota later replaced it with the Prius Prime.