Article: "Toyota will build hybrid vehicles in U.S."

 Along the venue of conserving energy...

"Toyota will build hybrid vehicles in U.S."
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/local/sfl-zautoshow12jan12,0,6859766.story?coll=sfla-business-headlines
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/local/sfl-zautoshow12jan12,0,2162040,print.story?coll=sfla-business-headlines

here are some selected excerpts..

"DETROIT · Toyota Motor Corp., Japan's No. 1 automaker, will build
gas-conserving hybrid vehicles in the United States, though plans
haven't been completed, President Fujio Cho said Tuesday."

"Demand for the Toyota Prius has far exceeded initial expectations,
creating a wait of up to six months for the gas-electric car in some
areas. Toyota is set to begin selling a hybrid version of the luxury
Lexus RX sport utility vehicle in mid-April and a hybrid version of
the Toyota Highlander SUV in June."

Six month backlog.. That's an impressive start..
   Keep up the good work..

"Toyota's planned production for North America this year is 100,000
Priuses, which it hopes will eliminate the backlog of orders. Toyota
has sold more than 100,000 Priuses in the United States since 2000,
including 53,991 in 2004."

Ramping up to 100K in less than a year..
    I'll give another them another kudo..

"General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. have said they consider
hybrids to be a bridge to fuel-cell vehicles, but Cho said hybrid
technology will remain viable even as fuel-cell vehicles become
marketable."  

  GM., Ford are barking up the wrong tree, you need really pure fuel
to make fuel cells work in the long run, the slightest contamination,
(lead, sulfur, CO, etc), poisons the catalyst inside the fuel cell.

I'll take my hat off to Toyota, their management and employees.  
  They seem to have more business sense than all of Detroit combined.

  Tim Keating wrote:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/local/sfl-zautoshow12jan12,0,6859766.story?coll=sfla-business-headlines

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/local/sfl-zautoshow12jan12,0,2162040,print.story?coll=sfla-business-headlines

In addition, this 2004 Prius owner commends them for making a
marvelous car, perhaps the best car I have ever owned--time will
tell. In retrospect, the 10 months waiting for delivery was worth it.

_A+ for the Seats_
A little over four years ago, the surgeon worked on my 3 lumbar
disks. I now find it impossible to sit for any length of time in
any but one chair in my home, an ugly duckling we would otherwise
discard. The Prius seats are comfortable enough me to drive for at
least four hours without discomfort, perhaps longer. The lumbar
isn't adjustable, but it is perfect for me.

 
I looked at some hybrids when i was car shopping two summers ago.
the biggest problem i have is with head room.  Second is for tuchas
room.

I'm a big boy... 158kg (~350lbs - although currently losing yay!).
I'm only 1.8m (~5'10") but i have most of my height in my torso.
Most cars, i have to slunch or cock my head sidways to fit.
This makes my back/neck hurt. I don't like reclining the seat... keeps
me away from the controls.

I'm currently driving a saturn vue, which lets me crank the seat close
to the floor.  I still have to slunch a little, but not much.

I'm still waiting for the day they modualarize shells,engines, etc so
i can say: "I want this engine, those seats, and this body."

;)

of course this has nothing to do with homepower...

--
be safe.
flip
Ich habe keine Ahnung was das bedeutet, oder vielleicht doch?
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 Philip Lewis wrote:

I'm 6'2 and over 320+ lbs, snug but still comfortable.


Good luck, with loosing weight. Exercise helps, unfortunately, my
back problems won't let me.


We also have a Saturn, it is quite a bit smaller than the 2004
Prius, which is a mid size car. I can sit comfortably in either the
front or back of the Prius.

 
Same here.  I actually wanted to buy 1 of the hybrids when I got my last
car, but after hopping into the driver's seat, I knew it wasn't going to
work :(

I figure it's a case of smaller car = better mileage, so I don't expect it
to improve any time soon.