Will Prius Be Toyota’s New Brand?
Times are changing and the price of fuel isn’t going down from its current skyrocketed position anytime soon; American drivers are shifting their focus from big, powerful trucks and SUVs to smaller more fuel-efficient vehicles. Foreign markets are more saturated with these types of vehicles and Americans are starting to catch on; the latest development is the ongoing hybrid craze.
American drivers are beginning to see the benefits of switching to alternative energy sources and the automakers are taking advantage of this realization; many of the automakers such as Ford, Honda and even Chevrolet are releasing hybrid versions of their existing models to capitalize on this newfound obsession for better mpg.
Then there is Japanese car manufacturer Toyota who is the only car company that has a successful exclusively hybrid vehicle model in America. The Toyota Prius is a hybrid electric car that has been in American markets since 2001. In 2006, the Prius accounted for 107,000 of the roughly 252,000 hybrid units sold in the states; that is nearly half!
Toyota has obviously recognized the success of their brand and there is now talk of the Prius becoming a brand in itself, exclusively for hybrid vehicles. This means all future Toyota hybrids would be released under the Prius nameplate. The Prius is a staple in America and is easily recognized as the fuel-saving hybrid that it is; the Prius status could allow Toyota to create more hybrid models that receive greater publicity, a problem other automakers have with their hybrid models.
The current word on the street is that the Prius line will have three different models: Prius A, Prius B and Prius C. The sizes of these vehicles will range within the dimensions of Toyota’s sedan lineup and they are anticipated for release in 2009, 2010 and 2011, respectfully. The only publicly accessible media of any of these models was released at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show.
The blue model that has resemblance to the current Prius model is believed to be the Prius A. The size of the stronger battery packs on future models will hinder interior passenger and cargo space, so an unconventional design is almost necessary; while there is no confirmation that this is indeed the Prius A, its altered exterior dimensions hint that it is a concept picture of the future Prius A.
Regardless of whether the future Toyota models will be under the Toyota nameplate or a new Prius name, they are anticipated to be better than ever. Potential plug-ins and enhanced technology will deliver the next wave of amazing hybrid automobiles.
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