Toyota Weighs New Version of Prius Hybrid

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10-26-2007, 11:13 PM

bwilson4web

Engineering first

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Location: Huntsville, AL

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Toyota Weighs New Version of Prius Hybrid

http://online.wsj.com/public/article...737071128.html

Quote:

TOKYO – Toyota Motor Corp. is considering adding new versions of its Prius gas-electric hybrid sedan, effectively creating a family of hybrid cars, the company's top sales executive said Thursday.
Tokuichi Uranishi, head of Toyota's global sales operations, also said Toyota is considering expanding production capacity for the Prius, first in Japan and then possibly in other markets including the U.S.
. . .
Toyota is on track to sell more than 185,000 Prius sedans in the U.S. this year, and supplies of the gas-electric hybrid vehicle are constrained.
Mr. Uranishi said Toyota is also considering additional hybrid models, and he strongly suggested he favors offering a hybrid minivan in the U.S. market. But he said no decisions have been made about that. Toyota has a goal of selling as many as a million gas-electric hybrid vehicles a year by early in the next decade, he said.
. . .

The Wall Street Journal is a funny publication whose editorial board is so right-wing as to not be funny versus the current news and reporting group that is totally fact driven. It has always been the news based, fact department that ever made the WSJ worth while. However, it has been sold and one of the news editors was on C-SPAN this morning talking about leaving the Journal.

Still, the news from Toyota is good and I look forward to a new Prius line, especially a Prius mini or micro van. Actually, I'd prefer the Camry hybrid drive train in a minivan. That would make a sweet ride.

Bob Wilson

10-27-2007, 07:12 AM

wdmark

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Re: Toyota Weighs New Version of Prius Hybrid

Quote:

Originally Posted by bwilson4web

http://online.wsj.com/public/article...737071128.html

The Wall Street Journal is a funny publication whose editorial board is so right-wing as to not be funny versus the current news and reporting group that is totally fact driven.
Bob Wilson

Politics aside, I don't think this piece was an editorial, but rather fact driven so investors (i.e., the bulk of the WSJ readership) can have information to tailor their investment decision making....including, I suppose, those who might plan to "invest" in a hybrid for their garage (regardless of their political leanings). Indeed, to my simple mind, the critical mass discussed in other threads won't occur, unless the auto industry can make fuel efficient and/or alternative energy source vehicles continuously profitable.

Indeed, my TCH purchase is an example of the success of Toyota's strategy. I the introduction of the TCH is what drove my hybrid buy decision. I would likely have bought a Toyota, but for personal preference/vehicle needs, a Prius would not have suited me. (Our other vehicle is a reltatively fuel efficient, but less roomy 1995 BMW 318is). Inserting the hybrid into the popular Camry with with a massively improved Camry body style was enough to make me take the leap in exchange for 4 cubic feet of trunk space. Likewise, having more HP than the Camry 4 cyl, was a smart marketing (read: profitability) move.

Glad that Toyota and earlier adopters paved the way for what is now and for the future. No desire to offend the enthusiasts for other hybrid models that suit their needs, but IMHO the size and or unconventional appearance of many other hybrids automatically nixes them from the shopping list of many among the masses who are more influenced by usable size or vehicle appearance.

Bottom line, however the proliferation occurs, lets keep it up.