http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/05/27/...5641653608.html Oil prices mean it's cool to be seen to be green By Joshua Dowling, Motoring Editor May 28, 2004 A "geek-mobile" favoured by local councils and those seeking green credentials has become the coolest thing on four wheels. Record high fuel prices have helped create a three-month waiting list for the petrol-electric Toyota Prius hybrid car. It is the first time in memory there has been a queue for an environmentally friendly vehicle. "We've basically stopped advertising because all it does is disappoint people who go to a dealership to find they're all sold," said Vic Johnston, Toyota Australia's manager of alternative fuel vehicles. He said the next three months' shipments - including seven cars on a freighter due to dock in Sydney this morning - are sold. Toyota Australia was taking up to 120 orders a month but is due to receive only 50 cars a month. Being seen to be green is apparently more important than actually driving a fuel-efficient vehicle. Honda recently released an ultra-efficient Civic hybrid but sales are struggling because, analysts believe, it looks like a regular Civic sedan. "The new Prius is as much about the look as it is about the technology," said Kim Rennick of market research firm Autopolis. "The fact that it looks different gives owners a talking point and a way to justify to their friends why they paid a premium." Seventy per cent of private Prius sales have been of the more expensive model, which sells for $45,090, not the basic $36,990 model preferred by fleet buyers. The dowdy original model was bought almost exclusively by government fleets but private buyers account for half of new Prius sales. About one-third of those traded in family sedans such as the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon. "That absolutely shocked us," said Johnston, who attributed the model's success to marketing that focused on fuel economy, not the environment. "We pushed the fuel economy message because it is a more rational decision." Toyota plans to double production when a second Prius factory opens in Japan in August. Ford and Nissan have recently signed an agreement to use the technology under licence. Toyota Australia sold just 485 of the original Prius between 2001 and 2003; the latest model overtook that within six months.
Yeah, but there's a big difference between the time they build and when they show up at the dealer (remember the supposed February production increase?)
First I've heard of it. While I greatly hope he's right, I do take comments from Toyota salesmen and middle-managers with a grain of salt. There's a quote from a San Diego Toyota salesman earlier this month saying that the supply of Prii is so low because the Toyota Prius factory "wasn't ready". Not big enough, maybe (tough to predict all the awards and high gas prices together). Not ready -- no.
So that means the other half is still being sold to government and rental fleets. Guess that's where all the production is going. Damn the government, always stomping on the little guy : ) Doubled production? I'll believe it when the wait-lists are gone.
Note the article origin: you're damning the Australian government, who aren't having any effect on how many Prii we're getting in the U.S.
