New Toyota hybrid under $16,000?
Will cheap, small compact hybrids be a hit?Rumors coming out of Japan indicate that Toyota could roll out a new $15,650 hybrid that achieves 94 mpg. Unfortunately, that 94 mpg is probably based on Japanese fuel economy estimates which are derived from a methodology that is entirely different than that used in the US. So, this new Toyota hybrid is probably a good bit more fuel efficient than the Prius, but certainly well below 94 mpg.
Still, $15,650. Now that seems like a car almost any American new car shopper can afford.
Obviously, such a hybrid would be smaller than the Prius, however, could such a hybrid - based solely on its sticker price - challenge the Prius for the king of hybrid cars sale's crown?
Labels: Hybrid Vehicles, toyota prius
posted by Dahcredyns at
8:45 AM
9 Comments:
I don't know about outsell the Prius, but I think it would easily become the top-selling compact vehicle in America.
Would Toyota have the batteries for such a hit? That's the question I'd like answered.
You mean sub-compact i presume.
Anyway, next year Panasonic is supposed to increase the output of its batteries enough to support 1 million hybrids per year. So, I think Toyota would have the batteries for such a hit, maybe even 2 new hits.
would this be a Yarus or Yarus-like Hybrid?
Question: does anyone expect the Chevy Volt to compete against the Prius or it's sub-compact cousin?
won't this essentially make the Chevy Volt OBE by the time it hits the showrooms?
Sounds like someone is just guessing ha
Of course several manufacturers will be rolling out in 2010, subcompact hybrids / but ill bet with ANY basic options you wont drive any of them out for less than 19k after all is said and done - hope so , but doubt it
Indigo Incarnates
I'm thinking that the smart move for Toyota would be to badge the Yaris-based hybrid as a Scion so as not to cut the legs off the Prius.
I currently drive a Scion XD and I absolutely love it. I'd buy a Scion hybrid in a heartbeat.
Toyota was to start selling its SCION IQ cute cars in middle of 09...however their execs got feedback that it would moderately cut into the sales of the Prius II(still on lots) and III as it would average almost same, is a blast to drive and cute as a bug!
So guess what - the Scion IQ for USA will be put on hold till beginning of 2010!:( waaaaa
There must be a way to have a electric car regenerate the power to charge itself up while driving. I guess it is like the 100 mpg carbs the gas companies bought and trashed.
If they did this they could not control us. The gas shortage is a hoax and most of Americans know that. The oil company and our government are in bed together.
Anon, what do you have in mind? An electric that recharges itself without using gas or using a gas engine to recharge the batteries?
Thanks,
alcatholic
larry- I definitely don't expect the Volt to compete against such a vehicle, which will be built off the yaris platform, but it won't necessarily be a yaris-hybrid.
thus, as indigo hopes, it could be branded as a scion hybrid.
Still, I think the Volt will resonate with a number of early adopters, plug-in advocates, etc.
Yet, it will be hard to make the Volt a mainstream seller, other than to the luxury-sect, without much higher gas prices, and massive subsidies. ironically, however, there are studies that indicate that as gas prices go higher, it isn't just fuel efficiency that motivates consumers, but upfront vehicle costs.
That seems to suggest that sub-$20,000 fuel efficient vehicles might be the key to automaker success if gas prices go high.
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