If there’s ever been a benchmark year for the Toyota Prius, it was 2009. The biggest news came from Toyota, when they announced that the 3rd generation Prius offers an EPA-estimated combined 50 mpg rating.* This fuel efficiency gives Prius drivers the ability to go more than 500 miles–the length of Oklahoma–on a single tank.

Of course, a vehicle this unique and exciting needed a launch just as big. To help get the word out about the 3rd generation Prius, huge flower beds depicting scenes of harmony and nature, called “living pixels,” were planted alongside California highways. Prius was also featured in The Sims 3, one of the most-played games on the planet. If a Sims character drove a Prius, he or she was more likely to be friendly, approachable and intelligent.

On September 16, the highly anticipated Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid (PHV) was officially unveiled before the press and hundreds of fans at the Frankfurt Auto Show. This evolved hybrid is scheduled to hit the roads in 2012 and can be recharged using any common household electrical outlet.

*2009 EPA-estimated mileage. Actual mileage will vary. To learn more, visit the Department of Energy’s and EPA’s fuel economy Web site.

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