Toyota Targets 40% Jump in Global Hybrid Sales in ’07
24 January 2007
Toyota aims to increase global sales of hybrids by 40% to 430,000 units this year. The automaker is also boosting domestic (Japan) production of the Prius by 40% to 280,000 units.
In 2006, Toyota’s global hybrid sales increased 33% from a year earlier to 312,500 units.
Toyota has forecast that its group—including Hino and Daihatsu—will sell a combined 9.34 million vehicles in 2007, up 6% from an estimated 8.80 million units in 2006.
After the NYSERDA contract with HyMotion, GM Volt Buzz and now President Bush telling federal agencies to use plug-in hybrids when available and cost-competitive on a life cycle basis with non-plug-in, now would seem a good time for offering what Cal Cars Founder Felix Kramer calls "Good Enough Plug-ins".
Toyota is probably better positioned than any other car maker to provide grid-able passenger cars. I previously imagined availability to demonstration fleets in the following progression:
1) Prius that come to North America would run in all-electric mode as they do where sold elsewhere in the world;
2) Prius that come to North American would have the new lithium manganese batteries rather than NiMH; and,
3) Prius would be available in North America with the following option pack: larger set of advanced lithium batteries, plug and charger.
By Step Three fleet managers could have what Felix Kramer now drives.
Posted by: jcwinnie | 24 January 2007 at 07:47 PM
jcwinnie:
You can rest assured that Toyota is actively working on an affordable PHEV. It will be available before and will compete positively with the Chevrolet Volt.
There will be so many new battery packages available by 2008-2010 that picking the best one will not be easy. Toyota and associated firms are working on various options for their new PHEVs and improved third generation Hybrids.
Today's (and improved) Hybrids may not survive very long after the arrival of affordable PHEVs but both technologies may co-exist for a few years.
China has the capacity to become a major very affordable PHEV + baterries supplier. It would be wise for GM to build the majority of the Chevrolet Volt + batteries + congtrol systems + drive trains there.
Posted by: Harvey D. | 25 January 2007 at 07:01 AM
You can rest assured that Toyota is actively working on an affordable PHEV. It will be available before and will compete positively with the Chevrolet Volt.
Harvey,
Your faith in the Chevy Volt is touching, but misplaced. Did you miss the part where GM explained that the most important part of the Volt, the battery, was not even invented yet? Your staements assume that the invention is imminent. It may not be.
So it is more likely that by the time the battery pack for the Volt gets perfected, the technology may no longer be relevant, and Toyota will (most likely) have increased their lead (by selling REAL hybrids, not futuristic daydreams).
Posted by: An Engineer | 01 February 2007 at 04:26 PM
hopefully by the time the volt comes out with their lithium battery and their dinky engine i'm sure toyota will come out with a even better battery with a diesel engine under the hood for some crazy 300 mpg score!
Posted by: philmcneal | 03 February 2007 at 02:13 AM
I commute 120 miles (round-trip) each day and I can't wait for the day I can make two trips to work on a gallon of gas. What's frustrating to me is that they're either a) not affordable ("exotic" or "high-end") or they look like home-made welding jobs. I just want a PHEV for between $10,000 and $15,000 that will get me a hundred miles before the infernal combustion engine kicks in. Any ideas? Why do we have to keep waiting ???
Posted by: dan | 24 August 2007 at 08:58 PM