Toyota says they "can't keep up" with Prius demand

Here's some news from ABG about Toyota and their record sales of Priuses.  Looks like it won't be repeated...

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Toyota says hybrid sales will be lower in 2008 than 2007, not because people don't want them, but because Toyota simply can't make any more. Bob Carter, general manager of Toyota Division, told Ad Age, in 2007 they sold 181,000 Priuses and that is simply the best they can do: "We can't repeat that [181,000 Prius sold in a year], no way, even though the demand may be there. We just can't keep up. So you will see much more moderate growth because of the supply," Carter said.

After mentioning that competition is very good, Carter added something very ominous: "We are very committed to hybrids but it's not our position that hybrid is the solution to the future." He then added: "We're looking at high-efficiency gasoline, clean diesel, fuel cells and the plug-in hybrid" which is a little more comforting. Toyota has said battery production is a hurdle for the introduction of plug-in cars. Batteries may be keeping more hybrids from being made as well. Carter (and Toyota's Jaycie Chitwood) described Toyota's plans in great depth with ABG recently.

So, Toyota, the #1 maker of hybrids is saying, there is hybrid demand, but for a year or more, they have reached the limit of production. For everyone that studies hybrids or wonders why it can't go above a certain percentage of car sales, here's your reason: auto makers cannot make enough of them. You have done your part consumers and driven up demand but apparently more work needs to be done on learning how to make more hybrids.

(via AutoblogGreen, Feb 18 2008)

We were going to get a prius when they first came out. Here in Naples, there was a 1+ yr long waiting list. Freakin' crazy. I see them all over town. It makes my heart happy. I was in desperate need for a car, so we couldn't wait. Now that I have a little leway, I will be first on the waiting list (if there is one) for the Hybrid Mini-Van ( We have a toddler, Mini-Vans are a godsend)

High gas prices have accelerated the drop in pickup and sport utility vehicle sales faster than automakers had predicted, and they're scrambling to keep up with demand for smaller, more fuel-efficient cars with high performance auto parts at the same time.

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 I saw the early news- surprise!  Several electric cars at a 2009 Tokyo auto show.  Then an electric car is being made on the east coast (2 wheels front, 1 back).  I thought it was an MH 3, but that vehicle was not on line, and all the Tokyo shows were old- 2005, 2006, 2007.

Toyota is struggling to keep up with booming demand for hybrid vehicles because it's unable to make enough batteries that are key parts in the hit "green" cars.

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