Toyota to Boost Prius Hybrid Production by 70% Next Year
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 07.28.08
Toyota Increasing Prius Hybrid Production
After the launch of the 3rd generation Prius hybrid next year (actually, the 4th generation if you count the NHW10 model which was sold only in Japan between 1997 and 2000), Toyota plans to boost its production to 480,000 units per year, or 70% more than now. So while it took Toyota over 10 years to sell 1 million Prius hybrids, it will almost certainly sell its second million in only a couple of years.
Where is the Prius Made?
At present time, most Prius hybrids are made at Toyota's Tsutsumi plant in central Japan. Toyota will move production of its Wish minivan to another plant to free up some capacity at Tsutsumi.
As we've written about previously, Toyota can't keep up with demand for the Prius, so the boost in production should help reduce waiting lists and maybe even help prices go down.
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More about Toyota Increasing Prius Production
Toyota to boost Prius output by 70%
Great news. Better that than more SUVs
I thought they had a bottleneck with battery production, too...
anyone know how that's being resolved?
"Toyota to Boost Prius Hybrid Production by 70% Next Year"
This is probably unrelated, but apparently soul-destroying joylessness is also slated to go up by 70% next year. Just a coincidence, I'm sure.
Just an FYI. They were going to make the Highlander at their under-construction North Mississippi plant, but the changing winds of fuel prices has led them to instead switch this plant to the Prius.
So, instead of yet more SUX 2000's, more Prius's