Toyota wants North America to become big export base

Hey, it all depends on your point of view. I take that as a complement that you are calling me consistent. Unfortunately you don't seem to understand the facts, so I'll try one more time. I don't know what 200k/year US is from. If you are replying to my post, its a quote, they added the prius to a 200k/year line that produces other cars as well. That line produced no cars in January, hopefully it will be back up and running soon. Its a flexible line, so can shift production. I never was trying to imply it would make 200K prii and stop making the other cars.

I'm not sure what you mean by a kit car. They don't make the parts like engines, brakes, seats, in these factories. Parts come from suppliers and are kitted in all these plants. There is stamping of some parts, assembly, welding, paint, that goes on. Are you saying that this is a magical plant that all the parts are kitted in japan instead of on site, and they are all welded and painted already?

Part of toyota's manufacturing system would be violated by this. Thailand is becoming a base for SE asia manufacturing, with many parts suppliers there. The more localally sourced parts the more it fits in TMS lean manufacturing. Even at the San Antonio truck plant, with many suppliers on a compound, some parts come from japan. Production was impacted by the tsunami, but it recovered much quicker. People actually noted that trains of parts stopped flowing down. Because of the low volume in the thai and chinese plants, japanese content will be higher. There is not enough volume to build some parts there. If they produce a prius c in the US, volumes would be higher than this, so more locally sourced parts, could be supplied and it could be run in a leaner less costly fashion than these factories.

They have over capacity for many items for the highlander and consolidated, you think this is some strategy. They are also expanding corolla and camry production. This is easy to do in the short term.

Toyota is investing heavily in lower cost thai production, and it is an export center. Ford and Mazda are doing this as well, which provides crititcal mass for manufacturers. It makes more sense to build them there for SEA and Oz than in japan. Why do you think that arguing for localized manufacturing for american sold cars, would mean I would be against localization for other regions? That makes no sense. Why don't you think toyota should lower manufacturing costs and build american prii in america?

 

Car manufacturers mean any of Canada, US, or Mexico when they say N. America.

While Toyota would like to take advantage of exchange rates by moving out of Japan, they are not going to risk quality problems. Ontario might prove itself as an HSD site, but I doubt any US site will be given the chance for the forseeable future.

 

Toyota had trouble with aisin on the psd, and brought manufacture in house. It is likely the psd would be supplied toyota japan because of economies of scale. With unknown about batteries, and the time to build plants, nimh would be supplied from pev in japan. If there is a switch to Limh, there are strong government incentives to build these here, and pev would likely take advantage. This is also how the camry hybrid and highlander hybrid are built - although I think they are still aisin japan for psd.

This is all speculation. Because of the bad PR of toyota canceling the US prius productions, I doubt we will here about them build prii here, until they are fully committed.

There is some kind of nasty idea that Americans can not build cars. This is against all evidence. There are quality problems all over the world, and NA auto plants build some of the highest quality vehicles in the world. Toyota's highest quality plant in NA is in Kentucky not Canada. Its highest quality plant is in Higashi-Fuji, Japan and builds Lexus and Corolla.