2015 Toyota Prius to have revolutionary design, better batteries and more efficient gasoline engine

Toyota has recently revealed additional details about the next-gen Prius which is slated for a 2015 launch.

The fourth generation of the Toyota Prius will come equipped with more powerful and lighter lithium-ion batteries as well as a more efficient gasoline engine. The latter will have a thermal efficiency above 40 percent as compared to the 38.5 percent in the current model. As a result of increase in efficiency, more energy will be generated from internal combustion which will be used to power the wheels with smaller losses through heat.

It will ride on the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) and according to Toyota the car will adopt a revolutionary design both inside and out. The 2015 Prius – like all upcoming TNGA-based models – will have a lower center of gravity which will improve handling. Global product planning managing officer Satoshi Ogiso says that the company is aiming at fuel economy gains between eight and ten percent compared to the current model which is possible due to the improved hybrid technology and as a result of an impressive 20 percent weight loss.

The all-new Toyota Prius will be built in Japan as U.S. production seems unlikely at this moment.