Toyota Switches Mississippi Plant from SUVs to Next Generation Prius
Next Generation Prius to be Made in USAToyota has just announced on its blog that the next generation Prius hybrid (certain models of which might have solar panels) will be made in the US, becoming the second Toyota hybrid car made in the country after the Camry hybrid, which is made in Kentucky.
Blue Springs, Mississippi"As part of a sweeping set of changes that reflect the state of the automobile business in the United States, Prius production will begin here in late 2010 at a brand-new plant currently under construction in Blue Springs, Mississippi." This should reduce the total life-cycle environmental footprint of US Toyota Prius drivers.
Production of Big Trucks, V8 Engines, and SUVs Going DownOriginally, that Blue Springs plant was supposed to make Highlander SUVs, but because of declining sales and high oil prices, Toyota is moving those to its Princeton, Indiana plant. That means bumping the production of the huge Tundra truck to the San Antonio, Texas plant, but they're not just shuffling things around. Big cuts will be made:
"Toyota is temporarily suspending Tundra and Sequoia production beginning August 8th. Production is scheduled to resume in November. Production of V8 engines at our Huntsville, Alabama plant also will be suspended."
Toyota ArticlesToyota Prius Hybrid: 1 Million ServedSpy Shots of the 2009 Toyota iQ MicrocarToyota Prius vs Jeep Patriot Comparison is Deeply FlawedWeird Unofficial Toyota Ads: "Well, at least he drives a Prius"More on Toyota Making the Next Gen Prius in the USAPrius Production to Mississippi, All Tundra to TexasToyota to Build Prius in US, Temporarily Suspends Tundra and Sequoia ProductionBREAKING: Toyota to build new Prius in Mississippi in 2010, trucks to stop for 3 months
