Toyota May Build Hybrids In The United States

[hatrack]

Toyota Motor Corp., Asia's largest automaker, would be able to sell more gasoline-electric cars and trucks if it builds the hybrid vehicles in the U.S., the company's U.S. sales chief said.
"It does make sense" to build hybrids in the U.S., Executive Vice President Jim Press said in an interview in Southfield, Mich. "The demand has been tremendous."

Toyota is studying whether to add production of gasoline-electric vehicles in the U.S. The automaker expects to sell 50,000 Prius hybrid cars in the U.S. this year, more than its initial goal of 34,000. Toyota is adding a second production site in Japan for the Prius starting in January and expects to sell 100,000 of the cars in the U.S. next year.

"We could do 100,000 this year" if there were enough of the cars available, Press said. "Hopefully we'll make an announcement soon" about a U.S. production site."

EDIT

http://www.oaklandtribune.com/Stories/0,1413,82~10834~2467380,00.html

[Jacobin]

1. Excellent news

I tried to order a Prius and the dealer said there was a 14 month wait

[earthside]

2. I Own One

I have a 2002 Prius ... one of the best cars I've ever owned.

[Unstuck In Time]

3. But, but, but American consumers will never pay extra for fuel efficiency

I know it's true, because the Detroit auto industry has been telling me so for years.

Golly, could they have been... mistaken?

:grr:

[hatrack]

4. Some friends were talking about a GM special offer

They said that if you went in to the dealership on a given weekend and bought one of their honking Stupid Useless Vehicles, as a bonus, you'd get (no, I'm not making this up) a free Chevy Malibu.

If that doesn't define marketing desperation, I don't know what does.

[phantom power]

5. If their commercials are any indication, the Big Three must

have a huge inventory backup. I bet that this next year is going to see some ugly layoffs in the domestic auto industry.

[hatrack]

6. GM announced today that they're laying off 12,000 in Europe

It's about 20% of their workforce there. Probably waiting until after the election to do the same here, and their inventory picture is UG-LY.

[NNadir]

7. We've been predicting this for years. I feel bad for the workers, but

I have absolutely no sympathy for the MBA set responsible.

As I understand it though, GM doesn't make most of it's profit from cars anyway. It seems they make it in Financing.

[IrateCitizen]

8. Toyota will HAVE to do this eventually. Better sooner than later.

My wife and I want to get a Prius for our next "run-around" car, but the waiting list is 12-14 months -- and people are paying up to $7,000 over MSRP in order to "jump" the list. It's insane.

I believe that Toyota announced that they want to make hybrid versions of every car and truck line they make within 10 years. I can't verify this for certain, but it seems to be the direction in which they're moving after announcing the upcoming hybrid Highlander SUV. If this is their long-range plan, they will have to start producing hybrids in the US to come anywhere close to keeping up with demand.

I would welcome it. By the time that the wife and I are raising a family and looking for a minivan, we will be able to get a hybrid minivan from Toyota!