Toyota Set to Launch 10 New Hybrid Models by 2010

Toyota, not to be outdone by Honda unveiled the third-generation Prius and Lexus' first dedicated hybrid the HS 250h at the Detroit Auto Show this week.

During the unveiling of the 2010 Prius, Toyota provided more details about its current hybrid plans. Toyota plans on selling 1 million hybrids per year sometime in 2010. In order to reach its lofty goal, Toyota is planning on introducing 10 new hybrid models by 2010. Two of them are the new Prius and HS 250h.

In addition to launching 10 new hybrids, Toyota also announced the introduction of 500 Prius plug-in hybrids that will be globally leased later this year. The plan was originally planned for 2010. Out of the 500 lithium-ion powered plug-ins 150 are destined for the U.S.

The 500 plug-in Prius will be used for market and engineering analysis.

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White House "Looking At All Options," Toyota Stock Drops 10%, Honda Cuts Production [Carpocalypse Now]

The Carpocalypse draws nigh after Senate Republicans lanced last night's bailout. In response, the White House now says "all options are on the table" and Toyota's scared after its stock drops 10%.

The S&P said a month ago that if the credit crunch wasn't taken care of, by 2009 the world would be facing global automaker liquidation. That's what we call the Carpocalypse and it's getting much closer to reality after Senate Republicans killed the House bailout bill without brokering a compromise, hung up on an attempt to strong-arm the UAW into a wage reduction for current workers that apparently isn't factually based.

Meanwhile, Toyota poised for its first U.S. sales decline in 13 years, canceled its 2009 annual dealer meeting in Las Vegas to trim expenses as consumer demand for new cars plummets. Additionally, the Japanese automaker released a statement saying a bankruptcy among the not-so-Big Three would "exacerbate an already difficult environment" for itself and the industry as a whole. On those comments, and thanks to the Senate Republicans, shares were off 10% in Nikkei trading today.

In response, the White House just moments ago claimed "all options are on the table" including, apparently, looking to breaking off a chunk of the $700 billion in TARP financing set aside for the financial industry. Toyota stock recovered after this news, down now just over 1.5%.

Fears of a bankruptcy of any of the not-so-Big Three also hit Honda today, who we just heard will now be cutting output in North America by 119,000 between now and the end of March at plants in Alliston, Ont., Ohio, Alabama and a new factory in Indiana that began producing cars just last month.. Run for the hills, folks!

[via MSN, Globe and Mail]

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Detroit Auto Show: Toyota A-Bat Concept… a Copy of a Copy?

One thing you can say about Toyota in the past year is they have really stepped out there with the concepts they have introduced. With the new A-Bat compact truck concept that Toyota is bringing to the Big Show in Detroit in a couple weeks some may be saying Toyota has stepped a bit too far out there. Toyota says that the side profile of the A-Bat is based off the lines of the Prius, but some obvious gene sampling may have taken place from the Honda Ridgeline and the Chevy Avalanche to birth this compact truck concept. The A-Bat is so… something that it is almost difficult to talk about it.

 The A-Bat is designed to be powered by one of Toyota’s hybrid engines to keep both the fuel consumption and emissions low. This is Toyota’s way of appealing to the work computer who wants to ride in from the suburbs in style(?), yet still wants to be able to pick up a load of plywood on his way back home. (more…)

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