Toyota to launch charging support tool for PHVs and EVs

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Toyota Motor Corp, in collaboration with its customer service IT company, Toyota Media Service Corp, has developed a tool to support easy home-based charging of the “Prius PHV” plug-in hybrid vehicle, due for launch next year, and electric vehicles (EVs).

Toyota Housing Corporation, Toyota’s house construction and design subsidiary, will start sales of the tool, the H2V Manager1, in January.

PHV or EV users can connect (wired or wireless) to the H2V Manager from a home PC, television or smartphone to effortlessly set or adjust their PHV or EV charging start time, as well as check household electric power consumption. The same operations can be performed remotely with a smartphone, through the Toyota Smart Center.

Furthermore, when necessary, the H2V Manager automatically interrupts PHV or EV charging when household power demand spikes, and then resumes charging when there is spare power capacity. This function prevents circuit breakers from cutting off power supply when a large number of home appliances are used simultaneously, pushing electricity consumption beyond the home’s maximum voltage.

Toyota Housing Corp plans to sell a line-up of household PHV and EV chargers consisting of a standard charger, a wall-mounted charger and a pole-mounted charger. The H2V Manager, compatible with all these chargers, has a suggested retail price of 52,290 yen (including tax, excluding installation). The expected starting price of a H2V Manager and charger package is 157,500 yen (including installation and tax).

A unit of the H2V Manager will be on display at the Toyota booth in the Smart Mobility City 20112 exhibition at the 42nd Tokyo Motor Show to be held from Nov 30 through Dec 3 at Tokyo Big Sight, in Koto Ward, Tokyo.