Toyota Prius: A one trick pony?
Will the Alpha Prius lead to new hybrid sales, or just split Prius sales?
Will Toyota live up to its hybrid hype?
Last month, hybrid vehicles accounted for almost 10 percent of Toyota’s total US sales, but by 2020 Toyota expects hybrid sales to more than double. Yet, last month Toyota’s hybrid sales were down 7 percent.
Certainly, Toyota has a number of new hybrids primed for the market, but with the Prius accounting for more than 70 percent of Toyota hybrid sales, can anything but another ‘Prius’ double sales?
Obviously, Toyota understands the importance of the Prius. The Prius is synonymous with Toyota hybrids, with hybrids in general. Thus, Toyota will soon roll out Prius derivatives that are both smaller and larger than the current Prius, as well as a plug-in Prius.
Consequently, if Toyota hits 25 percent hybrid sales by 2020, does that mean that 70+ percent of these sales will still come from the Prius family?
Can there be only one hybrid king? Will another hybrid ever outsell the Prius?
It seems to me that the key to beating the Prius come down to batteries. Only when batteries become profitable enough for automakers and cost-effective enough for consumers will the Prius possibly lose its hybrid crown.
