Toyota To Take Hybrids into Main Stream With 2006 Camry

TOKYO, March 12, 2004; Reuters reported that accordong to Japanese business daily Nihon Keizai, Toyota Motor Corp, the world's second-largest auto maker, is likely to sell a hybrid version of its best-selling Camry passenger car as soon as 2006.

If true, it would represent a major turning point for eco-friendly gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles that could take them from being a niche segment into the mainstream auto market.

Toyota spokesman Shinya Matsumoto declined to comment on the report.

"We do not talk about our product plans," he said.

The newspaper said Toyota was looking at selling more than 100,000 hybrid Camrys a year, mainly in North America.

Toyota currently sells over 400,000 Camrys annually in the United States, making it that market's best-selling passenger car.

Making a hybrid version of a high-volume car is no sure-fire formula as rival Honda Motor Co has found only limited success with a hybrid version of its Civic sedan. Honda also plans to launch a hybrid version of the Accord sedan in the U.S. market this autumn.

But the Nihon Keizai said Japan's largest auto maker would likely be able to reduce costs by that time to sell a hybrid Camry at a price that would be attractive to consumers.

Toyota's current hybrid Prius sedan sells for around 500,000 yen ($4,513) more than comparable gasoline engine models.

Toyota, which aims to produce 300,000 of eco-friendly hybrids a year by the middle of the decade, is keen to see the overall market for hybrids grow while promoting its technology and expanding its hybrid lineup.

Earlier this week, Toyota said Ford Motor Co would use some of its hybrid engine technology, underlining its lead in gasoline-electric know-how.

That followed a much broader hybrid system licensing agreement with domestic rival Nissan Motor Co in 2002.

It has also said it may supply hybrids to other auto makers.