Soon after the quake rattled Japan on March 11th, automakers across the nation halted production. Finally, there’s a bit of good news flowing in on the production front. Toyota will resume limited production of the Prius, Lexus HS250h and CT 200h hybrids March 28th. With new parts coming in from suppliers, Toyota is ready to pump out some of the gas-electric vehicles that buyers have been waiting for.
With the good news comes the bad. Eighteen Toyota plants remain closed indefinitely and the Japanese automaker warns that its facilities in North America may soon face parts shortages that could interrupt production and lead to shutdowns. Toyota has curtailed all overtime shifts at its thirteen North American plants and warns that Prius availability in the U.S. may be affected due to damage to a hybrid battery plant.
[Source: Automotive News – sub. req.]
