Toyota "bemused" by hybrid delay rumors

Third generation Prius still on track?

"We've been very interested to note stories in The Wall Street Journal over the past couple of days purporting that the introduction of a next-generation Prius has been delayed because of the slow pace of development of lithium-ion batteries," writes Irv Miller, Group Vice President, Toyota Corporate Communications, according to Car&Driver.

"For that matter, we've not shared much information about a next-generation Prius, since--like most companies operating in a highly competitive market--we don't talk explicitly about future product. And we've not discussed the type of battery that any hypothetical next-generation version of Hybrid Synergy Drive might use."

HMMMM!???? That isn't exactly true. Toyota CEO Katsuaki Watanbe, claimed that lithium batteries were ready for the third generation Hybrid Synergy Drive, at least according to Business Week. Watanbe's statement was not a rumor from a reliable, but unconfirmed source, it was a direct quote.

Nonetheless, Miller's press release does seem to conclusively confirm that lithium batteries are not yet ready for primetime in Toyota hybrid vehicles - at least not until Toyota can guarantee those batteries for 150,000 miles. Thus, the real question is, can Toyota achieve that kind of battery guarantee by late 2008 or early 2009 - the rumored launch of the third generation Prius?

Then again, was the speculated 2009 launch date ever more than a rumor?