toyota to introduce hybrid technology across entire lineup

[url]http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060401/ap_on_bi_ge/japan_toyota_4[/url]

Toyota plans to introduce energy-efficient hybrid technology across its
entire lineup and target global sales of 1 million hybrid vehicles by
2012, a news report said Saturday.

Toyota Motor Corp., global leader in the new market for
energy-efficient hybrid cars, initially developed its hybrid system for
the Prius compact car. It has said its new luxury-class Lexus GS450h,
due out later this year, will also be powered by an electric motor and
gasoline engine.

The Japanese automaker now plans to introduce hybrid technology in all
classes of vehicles, from luxury cars to compacts, and aims to top
annual global sales of 1 million hybrid cars by 2012, according to the
Nihon Keizai Shimbun.

Toyota will concentrate on lowering production costs so the technology
can be used in cheaper models, and aims to keep the retail price
differential between hybrid and conventional cars to under 300,000 yen
(US$2,550; euro2,106), according to the report.

Toyota has said it is targeting global sales of 5,700 hybrid vehicles
this year — 2,000 vehicles in North America, another 2,000 in Europe,
1,500 in Japan and 200 elsewhere.

Calls to Toyota went unanswered Saturday.