Even though last year Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid faced strong competition in form of Vauxhall Ampera, it still managed to outsell the American-made electric car, selling 470 units from its launch date in July 2012.

Turns out the Prius badge can still cut it. It hasn’t the same pull as the early days, but when it is still kind of synonym with green motoring. Toyota of course has been trying to revitalize the Prius range by adding new models and options.

In 2012, the brand sold 12,840 hybrid vehicles, an increase of 15.2 per cent compared to 2011. They also expanded the hybrid range from two to five vehicles: Yaris Hybrid, 7-seat Prius+ and Prius Plug-in were added to the existing Prius and Auris Hybrid.

Building on the core technology of Toyota’s renowned full hybrid powertrain, the Prius Plug-in Hybrid addresses the specific needs of urban-based customers with a significantly extended, fully-electric EV driving range of 25 km for shorter, cross-city journeys, while the hybrid powertrain’s petrol engine awards the new Toyota PHEV true long range capability of over 1,200 km.