By Joe Benton
ConsumerAffairs.com
December 16, 2005
The Toyota Prius will continue in short supply in 2006, leading opportunistic Toyota dealers to add several thousand dollars to the sales price of an already expensive hybrid.
Toyota promises to deliver more hybrids to North America next year but almost all of the increase will come in the form of hybrid Camrys which will go on sale in July 2006.
Through October Toyota has sold about 125,000 hybrid vehicles in the U.S., three-quarters of which were Priuses. The U.S. accounted for most of Toyotas global hybrid sales of about 195,000 vehicles.
Sales have been limited by availability. Toyota is suffering from a shortage of a broad range of hybrid components. Company officials say the shortage will ease somewhat next year.
Toyota forecasts global hybrid sales of about 300,000 in 2006, up from a projected 200,000 this year.
The Toyota Camry hybrid will be produced next year both in Japan and Toyota's plant in Georgetown, Kentucky where the company plans to build 50,000 vehicles a year.
The remaining hybrid imports will be spread over more models. Lexus will sell a hybrid-powered GS sedan next spring. The car joins the Toyota Prius and Highlander Hybrid and Lexus RX 400h in the Toyota fleet.
