Toyota Motors to launch 11 new hybrid models by 2012

Toyota Motors plans to launch 11 new hybrid models by the end of 2012, in an effort aimed at limiting oil consumption and reducing carbon dioxide emissions through the use of electricity and other alternative energies, the company said Thursday.

We are starting to see a more diverse range of alternative fuels, said Takeshi Uchiyamada, Toyota's head of product development.

The car makers are also planning to sell a plug-in hybrid vehicle in the U.S., Japan and Europe in 2012, targeting 50,000 vehicles a year at 3 million yen ($36,000) each without subsidies. The company also plans to introduce iQ-based electric vehicle in US, Japan and European markets.

On the other hand, the 'RAV4 EV' concept, which was developed jointly with Tesla Motors, will be on display until November 28 at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the car maker said.

The all-electric version of Toyota's RAV4 sports utility vehicle was developed with Tesla Motors, the US electric vehicle firm in which Toyota owns a 50-million-dollar stake.

Around 2015, Toyota also plans to introduce a Fuel-Cell Hybrid Vehicle (FCHV) that will run on electricity generated through the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. The FCHV is likely to be priced below 10 million Yen, the company added.

The car maker is also researching the development of next-generation secondary batteries with performance that greatly exceeds that of lithium-ion batteries. The research is aimed at bringing about the revolutionary advances in battery performance that will be necessary for the broad adoption of electric-motor-propelled eco-cars, the company said.