Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Plants/Manufacturing, Toyota
Toyota Prius production in the U.S. could be delayed until 2011... or not
Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2010 Toyota Prius
Toyota has been scrambling to right its financial ship after cutting its profit forecast by 63% in the face of dismal US auto sales. The Japanese automaker set up an emergency committee to look at areas to cut costs, and all programs are said to be on the table. Though Toyota has announced nothing specific to this point, Japan's Nikkei Business Daily is announcing that the first US-built Priuses may not be produced until 2011. That would mean a one year delay of the opening of Toyota's Mississippi plant, which has already seen a product shift and cost overruns. The new 2010 Prius, which will initially only be built in Japan until the Mississippi plant comes online, is scheduled to be unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show in January.
Toyota is currently denying that Prius production at the Mississippi plant has been delayed. We're a bit skeptical of the Nikkei report anyway considering the Prius is still in high demand despite the economic downturn.
Gallery: Confirmed: 2010 Toyota Prius
[Source: Reuters Associated Press]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Robert Farago 3:20PM (11/14/2008)
Now you're stealing TTAC's catchphrases? Have you no SHAME?
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The Luigiian 3:40PM (11/14/2008)
They haven't done a deathwatch yet so it's OK.
Dave 7:30AM (11/17/2008)
The Prius is also built in China with their Chinese auto partner. This writer always is always missing the Chinese manufactured Prius when writing about the Toyota Prius. I am not sure which Prius the U.S. gets, Japanese or Chinese?
Hanoi Jane 3:25PM (11/14/2008)
Read only yesterday in WSJ, even now Prius is still spending the fewest days on dealers parking lots, only 9 before being sold.
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Dustin 3:49PM (11/14/2008)
Whether or not the Prius is in high demand is not the issue. The point of the delay is to hold off on spending the millions it costs to open a new plant. And that's logical for the short term. We will still get the new Prius.
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TriShield 3:55PM (11/14/2008)
Toyota is running into the same overcapacity problem the Big Three have in the US. Except the Big Three have VASTLY too much overcapacity.
They are already grasping at things to do with that San Antonio plant now that the bottom fell out of the truck market and adding more Prius or car production in Mississippi if there isn't a big enough market to support it means more money lost.
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Hanoi Jane 4:27PM (11/14/2008)
I think there's a bigger market for Prius. This current Prius is selling like hot cakes and it is an outgoing model.
You do have a point about overcapacity, but its not for Prius, its for those 4Runners, Sequoyas and Land Cruisers.
Jared 4:47PM (11/14/2008)
If gas prices stay at there current levels for six months, demand for the Prius will decline significantly. And if the recession deepens significantly, then demand for the Prius will decline even more.
Toyota is wise to delay opening the Prius factory.
Robbie23 4:11PM (11/14/2008)
WHAT A PIECE OF CRAP!
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