Japan: Toyota mulling Prius-based hybrid vehicle range

Friday, November 03, 2006,

Tags: Emissions, Future Models, OEM Strategy, Toyota Motor Corporation.

AutomotiveWorld.com

A Bloomberg report states that Toyota, the world's largest seller of hybrids, plans to expand its Prius model into a new range in an effort to triple its annual US hybrid sales.

Over half of the one million cars and light trucks that Toyota plans to sell globally each year by early next decade would be sold in the US, the report stated, citing Jim Lentz, executive vice president of Toyota's US sales unit. Lentz said that models based on the Prius could include a wagon and a smaller city car with even higher fuel efficiency.

"For us to do 600,000, there will probably have to be Prius and derivatives of Prius that are selling in the neighbourhood of 300,000 to 400,000. We do not have any plans to do that right now, but that is the direction the nameplate can go, because it is that strong," Lentz was quoted by Bloomberg as saying.

In 2005, Toyota sold 235,000 hybrids globally, way ahead of Honda, the second largest seller of hybrids. In the US, Toyota, Honda and Ford sold a combined 192,312 hybrid cars and SUVs in the first nine months of 2006, a 24% increase from last year. Toyota's hybrid vehicles have enabled the manufacturer to challenge General Motors to be the world's largest by sales.

The Prius was the best-selling hybrid with Toyota selling 75% of all such vehicles. Lentz expects sales of the Prius to reach 110,000 in 2006, up from 107,897 in 2005.

Published on Friday, November 03, 2006