Toyota plans to Introduce Hybrid Tech to Entire Lineup
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Toyota plans to Introduce Hybrid Tech to Entire Lineup
wow... 
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/060401/japan_toyota.html?.v=5
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/060401/japan_toyota.html?.v=5
Toyota to Introduce Hybrid Tech to Lineup
Saturday April 1, 3:24 pm ET
Report: Toyota to Introduce Energy-Efficient Hybrid Technology Across Entire Lineup
TOKYO (AP) -- Toyota plans to introduce energy-efficient hybrid technology across its entire lineup and target global sales of 1 million hybrid vehicles by 2012, a news report said Saturday.
Toyota Motor Corp., global leader in the new market for energy-efficient hybrid cars, initially developed its hybrid system for the Prius compact car. It has said its new luxury-class Lexus GS450h, due out later this year, will also be powered by an electric motor and gasoline engine.
The Japanese automaker now plans to introduce hybrid technology in all classes of vehicles, from luxury cars to compacts, and aims to top annual global sales of 1 million hybrid cars by 2012, according to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun.
Toyota will concentrate on lowering production costs so the technology can be used in cheaper models, and aims to keep the retail price differential between hybrid and conventional cars to under 300,000 yen (US$2,550; euro2,106), according to the report.
Toyota has said it is targeting global sales of 5,700 hybrid vehicles this year -- 2,000 vehicles in North America, another 2,000 in Europe, 1,500 in Japan and 200 elsewhere.
Calls to Toyota went unanswered Saturday.
Saturday April 1, 3:24 pm ET
Report: Toyota to Introduce Energy-Efficient Hybrid Technology Across Entire Lineup
TOKYO (AP) -- Toyota plans to introduce energy-efficient hybrid technology across its entire lineup and target global sales of 1 million hybrid vehicles by 2012, a news report said Saturday.
Toyota Motor Corp., global leader in the new market for energy-efficient hybrid cars, initially developed its hybrid system for the Prius compact car. It has said its new luxury-class Lexus GS450h, due out later this year, will also be powered by an electric motor and gasoline engine.
The Japanese automaker now plans to introduce hybrid technology in all classes of vehicles, from luxury cars to compacts, and aims to top annual global sales of 1 million hybrid cars by 2012, according to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun.
Toyota will concentrate on lowering production costs so the technology can be used in cheaper models, and aims to keep the retail price differential between hybrid and conventional cars to under 300,000 yen (US$2,550; euro2,106), according to the report.
Toyota has said it is targeting global sales of 5,700 hybrid vehicles this year -- 2,000 vehicles in North America, another 2,000 in Europe, 1,500 in Japan and 200 elsewhere.
Calls to Toyota went unanswered Saturday.
A little chin music
Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Cleveland, Ohio - Rock 'n Roll capitol of the World
Still my biggest concern is how long term service will be with the hybrid components. It's no secret Toyotas are good for 200,000 miles and up - with a standard drivetrain. What happens when those batteries quit taking a charge? No one is going to want to put big bucks into fixing the hybrid system of a car that, without it, would only be worth a couple thousand dollars, but still be in good running order.
Hopeful FIT owner
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However, I don't expect Toyota's smallest models to get hybrid drivetrains. The smallest cars from Toyota with hybrid drivetrains will likely be the Corolla, mostly because the smaller Yaris and even smaller (for Europe only) Aygo will be aimed at low-cost first-time buyers.