Toyota president provides numbers on Prius battery production and number of PHEVs expected in 2010

"Panasonic EV Energy now has capacity to make just under 500,000 [Prius] battery units annually. By next year, Toyota plans to have capacity for 600,000 units," Toyota president Watanabe said. (It appears that this is the limiting factor in Prius production rate)

On Sunday, Watanabe had announced that Toyota planned to build two new dedicated hybrid models, one sold as a Toyota, the other under its luxury Lexus brand.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Watanabe said that the new hybrid would be larger than the Prius and probably built at a Toyota factory in Japan." (I am assuming this new one will be in addition to the Prius)

"Toyota plans to have several hundred plug-in vehicles with operators of large fleets of vehicles by the end of 2010, Watanabe said. A Toyota spokesman said current company plans were to market a test fleet of about 400 such vehicles." (It makes sense that a "test fleet" would only be 400 vehicles, but I sure hope they release the PHEV to the public not too soon after. How high will gasoline prices be by "the end of 2010?" How many new gasoline-requiring ICE cars will be on the streets of China and India "by the end of 2010?" Toyota, the world is depending on YOU. The Human race is depending on YOU! Invest, invest, invest, and gear up production!!!)

When asked about the GM Volt: "We welcome competition because that is how new technology is developed for consumers," Watanabe (Toyota pres.) told reporters on Tuesday. "But we don't want to lose."

Toyota to offer some plug-ins by 2010