Automotive blogger Matt Gasnier did a compilation of worldwide sales for the month of March for The Truth About Cars, noting several hybrid models are coming on strong compared to conventional counterparts.
As for the especially stellar performance by the Prius line, it was “a historical month indeed” for Toyota’s growing sub brand and the assertion published on TTAC – which prides itself on being contrarian and having the inside scoop – is the hybrid era may have started for good.
Helped with the Japanese launch of the Alpha – called the v in North America – and the Aqua – called the c in most of the world – the Prius family logged record-breaking volumes in Japan and the U.S.
Toyota expects its total 2015 hybrid sales to be around 400,000 units – fully half of which comprised of Prius variants – and the company said it is now preparing for North American Prius production possibly by that model year or sooner.
"We are targeting 2015. Around then we will probably introduce the next-generation Prius, so we are trying our hardest to realize local production of hybrid units then," said Koei Saga, senior managing officer in charge of drivetrain R&D at Toyota.
In his interview with Automotive News at the Beijing auto show, Saga said Toyota is scouting out North American suppliers for batteries, inverters and electric motors, and has not decided on where in the States the new Prii should be built.
High volume of 200,000 units is enough to justify the commitment, he said, and U.S. production will also offset losses due to unfavorable exchange rates and costs associated with shipping hybrids from Japan.
Yesterday, Toyota Motor Co. announced that it is initiating a program to voluntarily correct defective exhaust components on its Prius Alpha and V models.
Labeled a “service campaign” by the automaker, the problem revolves around weakened exhaust actuators, which can cause engine coolant leakage resulting in the car switching to limp or “safe” mode. A similar bulletin was issued a few years ago that affected second-generation 2004-07 Prius models.
This time out, the program reportedly affects some 8,000 Prius Alpha models in Japan and some 20,000 Prius Vs in North America. Customers will be notified and asked to bring their vehicles to their nearest dealer, who will replace the weak actuators free of charge.
Last week, Fox News’ Neil Cavuto spoke with Toyota Motor Sales President and CEO Jim Lentz about the market for hybrids, gasoline prices, and buyer preferences.
The interview followed Toyota setting yet another Prius sales record with nearly 29,000 total Prius variants sold, the launch of the plug-in Prius, and continued solid sales for the improved Camry hybrid, among other vehicles.
An outspoken skeptic of the Chevrolet Volt, Fox’s "Your World" Host Cavuto probed with a similar edge to his questioning, asking whether the rise of hybrids is “all just a mountain of dust?”
The latest “top pick” list by Consumer Reports has five out of 10 Toyotas on it, including the Camry Hybrid and Prius.
The last time domination by a single brand of this magnitude happened was by Honda in 2003, according to USA Today, which observed also that no Hondas were found on this year's CR list.
Note that the updated 2012 Camry Hybrid was named best “family sedan,” not green family sedan or hybrid family sedan. It edged out all the other Camrys in doing so.
What is a better way to transport Toyota hybrids from Japan? A hybrid ship, of course– at least that is the hope for those endeavoring to cut costs, pollution and fuel consumption from an otherwise wasteful process. This month, Toyota will begin shipping its hybrid vehicles via a floating experiment examining the viability of innovative technologies in shipping called the Auriga Leader. Since 2009, the ship has received a healthy trickle of juice from 328 solar cells. Now it has been fitted with large nickel-hydrogen batteries to offset the massive energy consumption of its diesel engines.
Toyota has high hopes for the Prius V, the second model in an expanded Prius line of hybrids. The company expect that the additional passenger and cargo space on the V will help push Prius into the mainstream market, and even one day make the quintessential gas-electric car Toyota’s top selling vehicle. The model—sold as the Alpha in Asia—went on sale on May 13. Based on higher than expected orders, Toyota plans to increase monthly production to 70 percent above initial targets by this fall, according to Nikkei business daily.
A week-and-a-half ago, we posted some of the web’s first images of the Prius V, Toyota’s new larger version of the quintessential hybrid vehicle. Last week, we spent a few hours behind the wheel and can summarize the experience with two simple words: Mission Accomplished. We gave the vehicle a hard drive around Half Moon Bay’s hills and coastal road, mostly using standard mode—rather than Power, Eco or EV—and found it almost impossible to bring the average mileage below 40 mpg. Other media teams were gentler and easily beat the 44 mpg estimated average. Still, we wonder if Prius can keep all its mojo as it adds more vehicles to its lineup.
Toyota stopped by Berkeley today to give HybridCars.com our first look at the Prius V, which has 50 percent more cargo space than the current Prius, while delivering 42 miles per gallon in city driving and 38 mpg on the highway. All the specs and details—as well as driving impressions—about the Prius V are coming in the next week or two. In the meantime, here are some photos that reveal if the V for Versatility lives up to its name.
Last week, we posted a full report on possible delays to hybrid car production as a result of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Now there is word of the first actual delay: Toyota says the new Prius V—the larger version of the most popular hybrid hatchback—will be delayed from its planned April rollout in Japan. Does that mean the Prius V will not go on sale in the United States in late summer 2011 as planned? Not necessarily.
