Toyota Hopes for One Hundred Thousand Dedicated Lexus Hybrids a Year

Toyota is looking to produce 100,000 of their new hybrid Lexus, starting in 2009. Some have speculated their new dedicated hybrid, only the third of it's kind, will be like the Prius, with high fuel economy figures, and yet also live up to the luxury you would expect from a Lexus.

Currently there are only two dedicated hybrids, the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight. The two-seater Insight was retired. In the meantime, Prius sales have taken off, leaving some to wonder if by making the Prius without a gas-only version contributes to it's sales.

That's why Toyota is looking to bring a new dedicated hybrid out as a Lexus, and why Honda is looking to replace the Insight with what they hope will be a Prius-killer.

The new Lexus hybrid, slated to be at the Detroit Auto Show next January,will be produced at the Toyota Motor Kyushu Inc, in Fukuoka prefecture. It may have a 2- to 2.5-litre engine mated to the electric motor.

Toyota is also bringing another dedicated hybrid to the Auto Show under the Toyota brand.

Source: Toyota to make 100,000 units of hybrid car: paper | Technology | Reuters