Toyota Hybrids may be Produced in U.S.

Ackerman Toyota Dealership in Kirkwood knows that rumors abound about Toyota assembling the Prius in the United States.  In 2008 those rumors were put to rest, and then again in 2010 they resurfaced when Toyota VP said that production could start up in 2016.  This has been an on and off again rumor for years and not much has come up about the topic for 2 year-until recently.

Senior managing officer, Koei Saga made a recent announcement that Toyota Motor Corp.  is thinking of producing the Toyota Prius hybrid in the U.S. in 2015, and plans to order hybrid components from suppliers in North America.  According to toyotapress.com; “The base fourth-gen Prius will probably still use nickel-metal hydride batteries, but the batteries made in the U.S. might be li-ion.”

Toyotapress.com states; “A 2015 timetable means it is likely that America would make the fourth-gen Prius model, which is due around that time. The reason this story keeps coming back is because it makes sense to build the Prius in the States. Sales are strong here and expected to grow, so extra production somewhere will almost certainly be needed to meet demand. Plus, a strong yen means that Prius vehicles built in America would likely come at a lower cost to Toyota.”

The Camry is currently assembled in the United States in Georgetown Kentucky.  The Japanese automaker is trying to decide whether to build the Prius at its Georgetown plant, Mississippi, or Tesla Plant in California which was previously the NUMMI plant.  Rumors about Toyota building the RAV4 EV have also been floating around in the past.

To test drive a new Toyota Hybrid in Missouri, visit your local Ackerman Toyota Dealership in West County today.