Damn computers slowing third generation Prius?

Another laptop fire?

Sales of the Toyota Prius have been amazing the last several months. During a recent Toyota dealership visit, I was told that the Prius was the top selling vehicle at that dealership. Certainly, Southern California doesn't reflect the current trends of the rest of America, but it does represent trends that could shape the future for the rest of America. Consequently, I figured that if Toyota could launch the third generation Prius with lithium-ion batteries, it might not just be a best seller at Toyota dealerships, but maybe the best selling vehicle in America.

Unfortunately, according to reliable, but unconfirmed sources, Toyota is almost certainly going to delay the use of lithium in its hybrid cars, even though the technology is basically ready. Why? It's those damn laptops.

Ian Rowley of BusinessWeek writes, "yesterday, Japanese electronics maker Toshiba demonstrated just why car companies are wise to be careful. Another one of its laptop computers, powered by Sony Li-Ion cells, had caught fire. Last year, similar problems cost Sony hundreds of millions of dollars in recall costs."