Toyota to Build Prius in U.S.

Toyota announced today it would begin building its popular hybrid Prius sedan in a new assembly plant in Mississippi. The plant is under construction, and production of the Prius there won’t start until late 2010. The next-generation Prius should go on sale sometime in 2009 and will initially be built in Japan. 

Toyota also announced some production moves due to the weak market for trucks and SUVs. Starting in August, Toyota will stop production of the new Tundra pickup and Sequoia full-size SUV at both its Indiana and Texas plants, but production in those spots will resume in November. Starting in the spring of 2009, the Tundra will only be built in Texas. 

Toyota’s Indiana plant will make up for the loss of the Tundra by producing the Highlander three-row crossover beginning in the fall of 2009. The Highlander was originally intended to be built in the new Mississippi plant that the Prius is now taking over.

The moves mean Toyota is not immune to the current shift in consumer demand. The company says its workers will be provided work during the hiatus. 

Comments

[LM]

With sales adjusting, it's good to see an automaker take the reigns early and begin shifting resources before they are in big trouble. This is in contract to building all they can build and offering huge incentives,though I'm sure there will still be plenty of incentives. I think Nissan is also doing this with the Titan...

It'll be interesting to see how Prius quality is affected by assembly in Mississippi since it's one of Toyota's top quality cars and all are made in Japan.

[SB]

With the shift in production from the Tundra to Highlander, any word on whether they will also be shifting the production of the Hybrid over here?

[GV]

thats pretty cool !! good cars made in the u.s.a meaning more jobs 4 people who lost jobs with ford, gm , and chysler. good step for toyota

[ziggy]

It would be good if it did increase jobs...but I'm more inclined to say it won't. I would say it's Mississippi's gain and Indiana and Texas' loss.

[DodgeFan]

Sounds like redistrubition rather than any loss. Ford is doing the same thing and Chysler is idling plants.

[Juan Carlos]

there goes the quality. look at the camry.

[Gift]

Why arent Toyota being made in Japan i thought all the Toyota's are made in Japan. I think the Prius should be stull made in Japan

[Dave]

Gift,

You may want to read this: http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/11/01/auto.main/index.html#cnnSTCText

Japanese Auto production has been occurring in the U.S. since 1982. Toyota has a joint-venture GM in Fremont, Calif. which began in 1984.

Dave

[jay]

no layoffs at toyota

[jay]

no layoffs at toyota

[Red]

LM, I don't think we'll see any difference in quality in the American built Prius. Toyota builds every component for that car in house, including the computers and batteries and has a tight control on quality.

[Brian]

I can't stand how people are getting sucked into this hybrid crap. It takes more than 3 times the amount of resources to manufacture a prius as opposed to a Jeep Wrangler. Yes you save on a little gas but the damage they cause to the environment is just done on the front end. Check out the "Dust to Dust" article on the Prius.