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1,824 views December 27, 2009

Toyota Hybrid Concept 2

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Toyota Motor Corporation seems to be moving forward with adding another vehicle to what some would call a hybrid car empire, at least hear in the U.S. The next spark in the future of Toyota seems to be a subcompact hybrid, possibly based on the micro iQ, that would be more affordable to the common consumer around the world than the company’s current best seller—the Toyota Prius. The concept is supposed to start making the rounds on January 11th at the 2010 North American International Auto Show press preview.

2010 Toyota hybrid concept

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What more do we know? Not much to be honest, but as mentioned above the goal of this next hybrid from Toyota is supposed to be affordability. You might remember another Japanese automaker trying to take this stance in the market with the reintroduction of their hybrid vehicle earlier this year. Unfortunately, for the 2010 Honda Insight, the economy in the price didn’t match the economy seen at the pump. Through October, the third generation Prius accounted for three-quarters of Toyota hybrid sales, totaling 417,000 vehicles.

Toyota is keeping tight lips on the newest product destined to join their hybrid family, but The Detroit News says people close to the project have said that the subcompact hybrid is scheduled to go into production in late 2011 and hit U.S. dealers in early 2012. Other car companies are going to have to catch up, especially if the proposed vehicle from Toyota beats the 50 mpg combined figure of the 2010 Prius and comes in under it’s $22K price tag. Toyota certainly seems to have their finger on the pulse of the hybrid market.

[Source: Detroit News]