Are Toyota's hybrid plans recession proof?
Set for launch late next year?Last month, Toyota Prius sales were down 10 percent. Not bad, considering that October was one of the worst months ever in auto sales. And, while hybrid cars have helped Toyota's sales strength the last few years, this recession is greatly hurting Toyota.
"At least there's no red ink at the moment. But if the situation deteriorates we could be looking at that," said Ashvin Chotai, managing director of Intelligence Automotive Asia reports the AFP.
Thus, "Planned factories, existing facilities, new projects; they [Toyota] are reviewing all of them," said Toyota executive vice president Mitsuo Kinoshita.
If US auto buyers can't afford anything but the cheapest cars, amidst declining gas prices, hybrid sales will take a hit. Such a hit, I'll bet, could easily delay the launch of the 2010 Toyota Prius few months, and slow the launch of any consumer-orientated plug-in hybrids from Toyota as well. And that new Lexus hybrid? Why be in a rush when Lexus hybrid sales got hammered last month?
Labels: hybrid vehicle sales, Hybrid Vehicles, toyota, toyota prius
posted by Dahcredyns at
11:56 AM
4 Comments:
Of course, the recession will hurt hybrid sales. If Toyota dealers keep charging over the MSRP for Prius's, they won't sell, nor should they. Toyota, the ripoff artists, deserve what they get.
Well, that's Toyota dealerships, which are independently owned. Yet, not every dealer charged dealer add-on fees, even during the hybrid boom this summer.
Still, I agree, those dealers will get what they deserve. I've owned a few Toyota's and I switched my dealership this summer because of markups.
Nonetheless, affecting sales is one thing, but will it change or slow Toyota's hybrid plans?
Let's hope it doesn't...if it does, it only indicates the stupidity of people in general.
I mean look at the fact that truck sales have actually increased amid the reduced fuel prices...
I mean honestly...these are the same idiots who went and bought homes they couldn't afford...and we are now to bail them out?
The planet cannot sustain such stupidity anymore. If anything, we need to cut from other stuff to keep alternative energy items going.
Well, I think all of our stupidity is finally catching up with us. Will we learn anything?
Regarding hybrids. It's not that Toyota will want to slow their programs, just that consumers might not be ready for them. We might only be able to afford hybrid bicycles, not cars. Dang, i'm glad I live next to the Goldline.
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