nowadays, more and more people will be focus on the global warming, Vehicle will be one the most importment reason. hybrids could be an option for resolve this issue. i think toyota will be touch this aim, but he still have many things need to do. for me the high price and a not cheap maintenance costs will be stop my setp for looking a hybrids.
Shortly after the turn of the decade, Toyota expects sales of its hybrid vehicles to crest the one million unit per year mark. ToMoCo’s goal may seem a bit ambitious considering that it’s only sold about 1.25 million hybrids since the Prius’ introduction in 1997, but the alternative-power push will mainly be fueled by sales of upcoming plug-in hybrid models and Toyota’s aim to equip every vehicle in its lineup with a hybrid drivetrain by 2020.
Testing of the plug-in version of the Prius is about to begin in the U.S., Europe and Japan, equipped with a fancy-schmancy lithium-ion battery that’s being developed by Toyota and Panasonic EV Energy Co. Sales should start around 2010, assuming that all is well with the power-pack, and we’re expecting even more Synergy-Drive models to bow during the upcoming 2008 show season.
[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]