Toyota Raises Prius Production To 10,000 Per Month

[hatrack]

TOKYO: "Toyota Motor has boosted production of the Prius gasoline-electric car by a third in April, amid surging oil prices that rising demand for fuel-efficient vehicles.

Production of the so-called hybrid car was raised to 10,000 units a month from 7,500, spokesman Shigeru Hayakawa said in Tokyo. The Prius plant in central Japan's Aichi prefecture can produce 130,000 cars a year with overtime, 44 per cent more than its earlier production target, he said.

The Prius, priced as low as 20,000 dollar, more than 10 per cent higher than a comparable car running on gasoline, is attracting U.S. consumers after regular-grade gasoline prices rose 39 per cent on average this year to 2.051 dollar a gallon."

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/716835.cms

Toyota also notes that its sales in May for the new Prius were 3,965 (I think that's the number), up substantially from the previous months and previous year.

[bookman]

1. Why?

They why won't they sell me one? I'm told they won't even take orders.

[prodigal_green]

2. once again

the market wins.

Unfortunately, this chimpministration wants nothing to do with the free market, only its crony capitalism.

We have the brainpower and capital in this country to develop a viable alternative energy technology (use wind/solar/wave power to create hydrogen fuel; biomass energy such as ethanol used in Brazil; etc.) which would employ tens of thousands of people. But the chimpministration is wallowing in the la Brea tar pits of its outmoded, 20th century oil addiction while other nations beat the crap out of us by innovating, inventing and producing 21st century technology.

We will be left in the dust if these policies do not change.

[Indiana_Dem]

3. I was wanting to buy one when my SUV lease runs out but

then I read an article talking about how first responders are having a hard time using the jaws of life when trying to extract a person from a wrecked hybrid because of the electrical factor. The article said first responders haven't been taught how to deal with a hybrid. It makes me wonder if I should wait until this issue works out. I may just buy a Honda or Toyota that gets more mileage than other vehicles but maybe not a hybrid yet.

My SUV lease doesn't run out for another 1-2 years though so I have time. I didn't know about peak oil when I leased the SUV. Now I wish I never would've leased it. I've had 2 hydroplaning wrecks since owning it. I hate it. I'm afraid to drive anywhere in the rain with it now without having a panic attack.

[treepig]

9. it's good to see that irony is alive and well

:)

[benburch]

4. I have a 2002 Prius.

28,000 miles on it now. I LOVE IT.

I drove from Elgin, IL to Kalamazoo, MI and back this weekend, with an average MPG of 48.4!

Yes, I'm gloating.

[TommyO]

5. It's nice to see...

that some people are giving up on SUVs and going for more fuel efficient cars. I've seen plenty of new Priuses popping up in the Central NJ, eastern PA area on my 36 mile commute.

I opted for a VW diesel three years ago when we had another bump up in fuel prices and it's been nice knowing that I'm getting three times the mileage of many SUVs, four times that of the H2!

[hatrack]

6. So how do you like your TDI?

I almost bought one three years ago when I had to go car shopping, and stopped just short of the diesel Golf.

So far so good?

[TommyO]

7. Love it!

My Jetta TDI has been relatively problem free, I have to replace the Mass Airflow Sensor, something that many TDI owners have had to do. It's covered up to 70,000 miles from VW, after the warranty period it's a $350+ part from VW, but available aftermarket for under $100. At 95K miles, I'm well past the free replacement from VW.

No problems with cold startup, just a little bit of smoking immediately after starting. Once we get high-quality ultra-low-sulphur-diesel (ULSD) here in the northeast, that should be a thing of the past.

[midnight armadillo]

8. There's now a Passat TDI

Once the low sulfur fuel is widespread in two years or so there will be a large number of diesels amongst the imports, particularly the European cars.

The Passat TDI is rated 38 mpg on the highway, has 134 hp and a whopping 247 ft-lbs of torque. Pretty good for a midsize sedan!

Unlike hybrids, diesels don't suffer mileage-wise in cold weather, they can be serviced at places besides the dealer, and don't cause trouble for the first responders.

I like hybrids, I'm just not about to jump on the bandwagon yet. I have an eye out for the expected hybrid Toyota Sienna minivan in '06 though.

[TommyO]

10. Passat TDI and other diesels

Midnight, since I bought my Jetta TDI I've been a diesel convert. The most recent TDIs from VW and the CDI from Mercedes are great engines and will be on my consideration list in the future when I add to my diesel fleet.