Global auto giant Toyota Motor Corporation plans to launch 21 new hybrid models from now until the end of 2015 as part of its environmental technology plans.

The announcement of its vehicle deployment plans is part of the progress that Toyota has made in developing environmental technologies with the aim of conserving energy by improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions, and diversifying fuel sources by encouraging the use of electricity, hydrogen and other alternative energies.

Starting 2014, Toyota will launch a vehicle with a new 2-litre, turbo-charged AR engine, also based on the 2.5-liter AR gasoline engine. The new engine’s smaller displacement will provide higher fuel efficiency while the turbocharger will improve output.

Considering that revolutionary advances in the performance of next-generation batteries are vital, Toyota has developed - at a special-purpose in-house research division - new battery cells that offer substantially improved output density over all-solid-state batteries.

The auto giant said it is also working on wireless battery charging, which will enhance the charging convenience of plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHVs) and EVs.

According to Toyota, the global sales of its hybrid vehicles will surpass one million units in 2012.

With its plan to launch 21 new hybrid models, Toyota expects to maintain this level of sales, forecasting global sales of its hybrid vehicles to be at least 1 million units a year from 2013 to 2015.

In line with its initiatives for fuel diversification, Toyota said it has developed a high-performance, compact electric vehicle, the “eQ”6, that boasts of several key features.

These include a new high-output lithium-ion battery that uses a minimum amount of space and boasts of the world's best 2,7 electric power consumption rate of 104 Wh/km.

The company plans to offer this new electric vehicle in December to local governments and selected users in Japan and the US on a limited basis.-TradeArabia News Service