Toyota Begins Gen 3 Prius Production in China
Published December 19, 2011
By Bertel Schmitt
Today, Toyota started Chinese production of its third gen Prius hybrid. The car is being assembled at Toyota’s joint venture plant with FAW in frigid Changchun in China’s northern Jilin Province. Sales of the vehicle will begin in early 2012.
Production of the second generation Prius had started in China in 2005, the first time the vehicle was produced outside Japan. Due to its high price, the car was met with mixed success in largely hybrid averse China. Powertrain and core technology were imported from Japan, which kept the price up.
With the 3rd gen Prius, the technology is still being imported. However, there are plans for localized production.
In October, TMC announced plans to further localize production of hybrid technologies in China. Fully localized production of hybrid system components is expected by 2015.
22 weeks ago
Why not they produce here in USA. I wish C-Max Hybrid gives a run for money for Prius.
22 weeks ago
I own a Prius 2010. I won't buy any Toyota not produced in North America.
That's how we get jobs back here ... from China.
Stop out-sourcing America
22 weeks ago
@ Jerry,
I'm confused. You state that you won't buy any Toyota that's not made here in the USA. Yet you bought a 2010 Prius which is only made in Japan.
What's that all about?
22 weeks ago
Hum... you do know that the Prius is only made in Japan...right?
22 weeks ago
Sad. I was hoping that they'd begin producing Prius's here in the U.S. I have a 2005 Prius with over 150,000 miles, and am seriously thinking of getting a second one. I'm very skeptical of anything made in China though - the quality is just not consistently there. I guess if my current one holds out, I'll hold off on buying one until they've proven themselves, or buy a used one made in Japan.
22 weeks ago
I wonder if they'll strip out all the safety features for the Chinese market.... then it can better compete in price.
MrEnergyCzar
22 weeks ago
Yes, I purchased the Prius 2010 and found out later it was made overseas.
My bad -- it will never happen again
22 weeks ago
you do realize that majority of the products that you are using everyday are NOT MADE IN NORTH AMERICA right?
and that include the iphone which is assembled in china!
22 weeks ago
'Made in USA' means made by a USA company by USA citizens in the USA. Sadly this barely exists and it is cost cutting decisions like this(automaker bureaucrats and the market that approves of their methods) that will take us(the free world) all out in the long run. Enter Shanghai pollution for all and freedom for none!! Made in China.
22 weeks ago
The Prius sold in USA is made in Japan, and Toyota has no plans for the chinese-made car to be sold in the US (just to clarify).
Toyota plans to make all versions of the prius in the us eventually, and especially after the tsunami, where demand for hybrids went up in the US but Japanese factories could not keep up with demand.
Note that most "US" brands, like fords, chevys, etc are often made in Mexico. Difficult to find us made stuff in the globalized ecomomy.
1 week ago
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