Toyota eyes hybrid production in Japan

Toyota Motor Corp. plans to produce hybrid vehicles at a new assembly plant that will start operating in 2011 in northeastern Japan, Kyodo News reported. Toyota intends to manufacture a Vitz-class subcompact hybrid model at the plant in Ohira, Miyagi Prefecture, which would be one of the automaker’s key domestic production hubs for gasoline-electric cars along with its Aichi and Kyushu factories, Kyodo said. Hybrids to be assembled in Miyagi are likely to go on sale in 2011 at around 1.5 million yen (US$16,272.55) and with gas mileage of over 40 kilometers a liter – a better performance than the popular Prius. (January 4, 2010)