New LED Tech Pack option brings LED headlights to UK Prius

2010 Toyota Prius – Click above for high-res image gallery

We were curious about the option packs for the 2010 Toyota Prius in the UK back when the price was announced back in May. While LED tail and stoplights are standard on the new Prius, Toyota has now announced a special LED Tech Pack that will be available for the UK version of the Prius T Spirit trim level for an extra £895. Toyota said that this new option will be available because customers requested the LED headlights. The package adds those lights, plus the electrochormatic auto-drimming mirrors. The highly-efficient LEDs can "cut the vehicle's electricity consumption by up to 30 per cent."

One other change is that the Protection Pack will now be available on the T3 trim level in the UK. You can find a list of U.S. features and options for the 2010 Prius here.

Photos copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Toyota]

PRESS RELEASE:

TOYOTA ADDS HI-TECH OPTION PACK TO NEW PRIUS New features offered in response to strong customer demand

KEY POINTS

New LED Tech Pack option available for new Prius, introduced in direct response to customer requests

Features include LED headlights with dusk-sensing function and washers, together with electrochromic auto-dimming rear view mirror and water- repellent treatment on side window glass

Available for Prius T Spirit, price £895

"Will new Prius have LED headlights?" and "is an auto-dimming rear-view mirror available?" were two of the most frequently heard questions about new Prius's equipment features in the lead-up to new full hybrid car's launch. Toyota decided that "no" should not be the answer and moved quickly to tailor its new model range to meet customer demand.

The result is a new LED Tech Pack option, readied in time for Prius's official launch date.

The new pack is available on Prius T Spirit and brings together a range of hi-tech equipment features. Foremost among these are LED headlights, which illuminate quicker, last longer and use significantly less energy than both halogen and xenon types.

LEDs are used for twin low-beam projects, with halogen bulbs for the high- beam and driving lights. Together with the LED tail and stop lights that are fitted as standard to new Prius, they can cut the vehicle's electricity consumption by up to 30 per cent.

The headlights light up automatically with a dusk-sensing function and are fitted with integrated washers. The pack also provides and auto-dimming rear view mirror and water-repellent treatment on front side window glass. In a further move to meet customer preference, the optional Protection Pack, comprising a boot liner and rear parking sensors, is being made available on the T3 version of Prius.

Tags: 2010 prius, 2010 prius hybrid, 2010 toyota prius, 2010Prius, 2010PriusHybrid, 2010ToyotaPrius, led, led headlights, led lights, LedHeadlights, LedLights, prius led, PriusLed

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Jon 1:05PM (8/15/2009)

Does the 30% electricity reduction increase the MPG noticeably?

↓↑report

Aimless6 2:21PM (8/15/2009)

Yes, while waiting for a traffic light, those 100 Watts will increase your mpg from 0 to 0 mpg. When even slowly moving the traction is several kilowatts, so you won't notice a few light bulbs.

dg 5:05PM (8/15/2009)

So this means 30% reduction in electricity used NOT INCLUDING the electric motor?

Dumb. What's the point? LED headlights are SO annoying.

NeilBlanchard 3:57AM (8/16/2009)

Hi,

I think this is a step in the right direction. You naysayers are probably not ecodriving your current cars, right? I notice a small drop in MPG when I use my headlights, so a smaller drop would be a good thing.

Sincerely, Neil

Matt 12:18PM (8/16/2009)

The point of this option is that they look cool. I'm sure the customer requests far outweigh any efficiency gains. They do look pretty sweet, but I'd rather have HID's with LED accents like on the high end Audi.

once loved cars 1:10PM (8/16/2009)

now how about bringing the HUD and better nav to the use model?

Oh right, toyota doesn't want to compete with lexus, so it purposely installs a subpar nav.

Matt 10:05AM (8/17/2009)

LED headlights offer lots of advantages to traditional technologies: smaller emitters than halogen or HID bulbs, lower power consumptions, longer life, more durable, dimmable (unlike HID), no warm-up (unlike HID), etc.

Since there are basically no LED headlights available currently, save a few very high end cars, it's nice to see these begin to appear in more affordable vehicles.