Toyota Goes on the Offensive with Its Hybrids

Toyota is boosting production—and the image—of its star hybrid, the Toyota Prius. As the company celebrates big sales numbers for the just-released third-generation Prius in Japan, it is also fighting a publicity campaign in the US against competing green car technologies.

Bloomberg reports that Toyota will build as many as 50,000 Priuses a month in Japan—increasing its annual sales goal from 400,000 to 500,000 units. The Prius was the number one selling car in Japan in May, so the company is increasing production to make sure it can supply its two biggest hybrid markets: Japan and the United States. The company said it has received more than 140,000 orders in Japan. And with gas prices once again on the rise in the US—approaching $3 a gallon average in the Midwest—the company shouldn’t haven’t any worries about its dominant role in the hybrid market. Right?

Toyota Goes on the Offensive with Its Hybrids | Hybrid Cars