Toyota: Goal of 40% Increase in Hybrid Sales for 2007
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 01.25.07
Reuters reports that Toyota is aiming high with its gas-electric hybrids for 2007: They plan to sell 40% more (430,000 units) than they sold in 2006 (312,500 units, which was 33% more than in 2005). Production of Prius hybrid cars in Japan will go up to 280,000 units. Hybrid vehicle sales for Toyota are growing between 5 and 6 times faster than sales of gasoline-only vehicles and this rate could increase as Toyota announces new hybrid models, but compared to all of Toyota's vehicle sales, hybrids are still only about 5% (more than other companies, but still small -- the atmosphere doesn't care about percentage points, only absolute CO2 emissions matter).
What we would like to see from Toyota and other car makers: More affordable very fuel-efficient and low-emission hybrids, plug-in hybrids, all cars flex fuel so that they can run on cellulosic ethanol when it is available (the fuel sensors required for that are apparently only about $30 - no reason not to include them in all cars), diesel-hybrids with the latest emission technology (to run on biodiesel where available, of course) and, as soon as battery technology is ready, affordable electric-only vehicles. ::Reuters, via ::Toyota Targets 40% Jump in Global Hybrid Sales in ’07
Standard car article advice: Walk, cycle, carpool, take public transit, car-share, telecommute. Try to live close to the things you need and to where you work. But if you have to own a car, get the most efficient model that fills your needs, drive sanely, combine trips, keep it in good mechanical condition and keep your tires properly inflated.




















Will they also be informing consumer about any EMF's electro-magnetic frequencies given off by their motors?
there's more to ethanol-capability than a fuel sensor, much more...true, it's not a lot, but there's much more to it than a $30 part.
Sean, please elaborate.