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Report: Toyota to Introduce New Medium-Sized Hybrid, the SAI

Kyodo News reports that Toyota Motor Corp. will introduce within this year a new medium-sized hybrid sedan, the SAI.

The SAI reportedly will have the same basic structure as the recently introduced Lexus HS 250h, but with different exterior and interior designs. The SAI price is expected to fall between that of the Prius and the HS 250h.

Toyota is also planning to release a less pricey compact hybrid based on the Vitz, and a minivan type hybrid as early as in 2011.

Comments

HarveyD

Good going. The minivan + the sub-compact (Echo/Yaris/Vitz) hybrids will have takers. If new GM comes out with 4 GM style hybrids/year as claimed, will that match Toyota's and be enough to regain number one position?

Time will tell.

ToppaTom

You don't mean regain #1 in hybrids, do you?

If you mean #1 in auto sales you should recall that hybrid sales are still in the 3% range.

A huge, huge increase in GM hybrid sales (like take most of the hybrid market) would be incredible and be a big image boost, but have no effect on GM percent of the total market.

HarveyD

TT:

Electrified vehicles (HEV + PHEV + BEV) will increase their share of the world market much faster than many of us think.

However, you cannot change up to one billion vehicles overnight, but it will be done, to a large extend, over a 20 to 30 year period.

Within 5 to 6 years, e-storage units will be much more efficient and much cheaper. By 2015/20, BEVs may even be cheaper than current equivalent ICE units, specially the basic units made in China and India.

Worldwide competion is going to be very fierce. Lets hope that free trade will prevail.

HarveyD

TT:

I meant number one in total vehicle sales.

Will S

I believe the change will happen much more quickly due to the recent announcement that existing oil field production is declining at 6.7% per year rather than the 3.7% they had previously assumed. Actually, the global economy will be hit so hard that few people will be buying new cars. The IEA's Chief Economist says that even the drop in production investment will pull down any fragile recovery from the current recession. Oil at $72+ certainly seems to show some in the market are getting the message.
IEA Chief Economist interview

The elephant in the room is getting harder to ignore...

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