Toyota Hybrids to Roll out of U.S. Plants

Toyota Motor Corp. will produce hybrid cars in the United States following brisk sales of its Prius hybrid model in the U.S. market. Production is expected to begin as early as 2006 at one of Toyota’s four stateside plants. President Fujio Cho said initial production volume will be 50,000 to 100,000 units a year.

In addition to the Prius, Toyota is considering producing a larger hybrid model tailored for U.S. customers.

While Toyota and GM have teamed up to develop certain technologies for fuel-cell electric vehicles, they develop gas-electric hybrid cars separately. Cho denied the possibility of jointly producing hybrid cars with GM.

By year end,Toyota plans to roll out hybrid versions of two sports utility vehicles, the Highlander and the RX330, which are marketed in Japan under the names Kluger V and Harrier. Toyota is also considering marketing hybrid pickup trucks in the future.