Japanese car maker Toyota demonstrated its Prius PHEV (Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle) that is capable to power electrical appliances, such as fridge and fan, for two days.

The idea to offer an optional AC power-point in its Prius hybrid car to allow owners to run their household electrical appliances from the car's battery pack came to Toyota’s mind after the devastating earthquake on March 11 left people without power.

The Prius models from 2012 will be equipped with an onboard inverter that will change the current of the batteries, DC, to AC to rum household electric appliances.

Accessories are already available to change DC from a car’s battery to AC, but these accessories can power only low wattage portable fridges, DVDs etc. The Toyota’s system is capable of running larger appliances fridge and microwave.

The manufacturer and experts are of the view that the Prius PHEV will be a huge selling point in areas like the Gulf Coast, where power consumes several days to be restored after calamities like hurricanes.

The Toyota Prius PHEV, which will be rolled out in 2012, is expected to cost $3,000 to $5,000 more than a standard version, which is available with a starting price tag of $23,520.