Toyota has its work cut out for it to reach a hybrid sales goal recently elucidated by “top executives” who told Automotive News that the goal for North America is 400,000 units a year by 2015. Well, that’s a possible goal, at least, should everything go right. In 2010, Toyota sold just under 200,000 hybrids in North America. Globally, Toyota thinks it can sell 1.2 million hybrids a year by 2015. It sold almost 700,000 in 2010, around 400,000 of which were Prius hybrids.
There are two avenues Toyota will take to sell more gas-electric vehicles. First, the company will expand the number of hybrid models available, from new sizes and a plug coming to the Prius family as well as a new big pickup hybrid powertrain it is working on with Ford, reports Automotive News. More standard Toyota models will get hybrid powertrains as well. Second, Toyota will eventually build more hybrids in North America, including the Prius, we’ve heard rumors of for ages. A good step three would be to figure out if gas prices will indeed climb in the U.S., since that’s when buyers are most likely to be interested in fuel-efficient hybrids. They’re a fickle bunch. If all else fails, perhaps a “buy one, get one” sale is in the cards?
