Toyota Motor Corp. said it expects U.S. sales of at least 16,000 plug-in Prius hatchbacks in 2012 after the model debuts early in the year.
The new version of the world's best-selling hybrid, designed to be recharged from a standard 110-volt outlet, will go at least 21 km solely on its lithium-ion battery pack, John Hanson, a Toyota spokesman, said. After that, it will operate like a standard Prius, averaging 50 miles per gallon (21.26 km per liter) of gasoline in city and highway driving, he said.
"We think it's going to be a strong seller and we'll deliver to whatever level the market wants," he said Wednesday. "We're certainly on line to sell 16,000 to 17,000 in 2012."