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The venerable Toyota Prius will be redesigned for the 2010 model year, and we’re beginning to hear rumors about the future of the green car icon..

Left Lane News reports, “Whispers of a highway rating anywhere between 60 and 80 mpg have been heard.” The car will feature “a slightly larger motor, moving from a 1.5L to a 1.8L motor,” but probably not the Lithium-ion batteries that Toyota is said to be developing.

The current Prius may still appear in dealerships even after the 2010 model arrives. The U.K.’s Auto Express reports, “The latest Toyota is expected to be more expensive than the outgoing model…However, Auto Express has learned that bosses plan to keep the current Prius on sale – and to compete with Honda’s forthcoming Insight, it will be at a new low price.”

Toyota may use the two Prius models as part of a separate Prius brand. LLN explains, “The main goal of the Prius brand will be to bring down the price of hybrids. Toyota is said to be aiming to cut the cost of hybrid technology so much that it would only add $500-$1000 in vehicle cost on the retail end.” LLN claims that separate Prius dealerships would sell the two Prius models, Camry and Highlander hybrids, and possible a five-door model larger than the Prius and a small hybrid built on the Yaris chassis.

Autoblog comments, “It’s starting to look like the Volt will have it’s work cut out for it.”

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