It's the only way that Toyota is going to grow its market share in China. Its very difficult to compete with the home grown cars there, especially on price
Quite impressive 10% of Toyota sales in China already. Prius/hybrids as ambassador, helping to forge more positive ties between countries. What a car.
Corolla Eco gets 42mpg highway, and about $5000 less to buy. I have no idea what a Levin is..... I'm guessing it's a Corolla with two doors (coupe)
China's desperate attempt to de-smog their cities will require electric or hybrids. You can see a time where this will be mandatory. China is building nuclear power plants at a furious rate to try and reduce their coal use too.
I think I read a different article than you. Here are the interesting bits. Hybrids are only around 2% percentage of toyota's sales in china, and they lag the other majors, despite them deciding to make the prius in china, and not in the US. Now they are going to move hybrid parts production to china. That may help them a little. There excuse for not doing this in the US was that they didn't want the proprietary stuff outside japan as if these trade secrets can be more easily kept in china. The reason is quite clear, china has a tariff on car parts, and profits will be higher if they sell the cars. -
"...trade secrets can be more easily kept in China."--Huh? China is the epitome of "Copy-Cat Commerce" where anything & everything is (un)fair game for intellectual property "rip-off."
Well glad you agree it makes no sense. I didn't put a smiley down there. I don't think Toyota has a fig leaf anymore for their explanations on why they don't build hybrid parts and the prius here. The fig leaf was that assembling the prius in china was 'ok' because they weren't going to source parts. In the US they would be sourcing parts, and intellectual property was at stake. Hopefully toyota will build prii in the US eventually. China shows that maybe putting a tarrif up does move manufacturing.
I wish Toyota would build a Prius plant here in the USA ; Since they sell lots of Prius's here. It would help them in the dollar to yen value's.
Hopefully the China made Prius' won't have the awful quality of the Shenzhen Auto Glass mfr windshield sitting on my Prius tonight which btw is stamped with Pittsburgh Glass Works ... check out those wavy line folks.... DOT 563 baby ... Shenzhen Auto glass mfrg .... PROChina look it up DOT number search: DOT Number Database lotta crap made in China and sent here .... they can keep their China made Prius' oh, btw, my DOT 20 AGC is at shop and will be put in this Tuesday. Photos to claims rep got the approval. Disturbing to think they (All Star Glass) installed this S#$T on my car.
IMO, it will take many more decades for China to address all of their issues. Until then, we will endure their poor quality and absence of design propriety. Their people will have to go through much turmoil before realizing human rights to adequate living conditions.
I think when their children are coughing, they'll get a clue. It is generational until they (like ours!) realized they were killing their own children. An adult will 'take it' but a coughing child . . . draws the line. Bob Wilson
If that is the motivation then the Chinese will adapt faster than what we have seen in the US. Me-ology as a competing ideology (see:tea party) is much more intrenched in the US.
