Responding To US Demand, Toyota Boosts 2004 Prius Production By 31%

[hatrack]

"Toyota Motor Sales USA has announced a 31% increase in production of its second-generation Prius petrol-electric hybrid hatchback to meet demand.

The original production plan for the 2004 calendar year was 36,000 units but, with 12,000 pre-orders received before the vehicle launched in mid-October and approximately 10,000 units delivered in its first six weeks on sale, it became necessary to boost output to 47,000 units annually.

Said TMS senior vice president and general manager Don Esmond: "With record-shattering sales in both October and November, and no sign of demand letting up, it became clear we had underestimated our early sales projections."

EDIT


http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/alternative/112_news19/

[Kolesar]

1. if they moved production to the NUMMI plant here,would they be union made?

Many Toyotas are built at the GM-Toyota joint venture plant in Fremont, CA. I think it is a union plant.

[demnan]

2. This is really great news

Now I'll be able to afford one when I buy my next car.

[kimchi]

3. Yes, great news!

I'm working on getting my husband to buy one; but he refuses to buy new cars, for good reason. I'm the same way; but I feel very strongly about the need to increase hybrids as well as save gas money.

We have three ancient cars he's always working on--those Toys and Hondas just WILL NOT die...it wouldn't take much more than hitting a curb or scraping against a pole to total one of them...

:evilgrin:

[ajacobson]

4. There's some question on this

Economics 101 sez that boosting production should spread the fixed costs across more units, which should help keep unit costs down. However I've read some stuff out there that Toyota sez that boosting production will be very expensive, due to over quota production costs from their suppliers.

All I hope is that they freeze the price for another year, because it's going to take me a year to get the downpayment together. I'm getting one as soon as I have the scratch. If they have as many improvements in model year 2005 as they did this year, it will be awesome.