Hybrid Pickup Next in Line for Toyota

Washington DC July 11, 2005; The AIADA newsletter reported that Toyota President Katsuaki Watanabe announced Monday plans to produce a hybrid pickup truck as part of the automaker’s goal to achieve a full lineup of low-emission models, reports Bloomberg.

Watanabe wants Toyota to put gas-electric engines on more vehicle types to help the carmaker sell 1 million hybrids "as soon as possible," compared with last year’s 134,700 units. "We would ideally want a full lineup of hybrid models," Watanabe said.”

Since introducing the wildly popular Prius in 1997, Toyota has moved to include gas-electric engines in six types of vans, sedans and SUVs. In addition to expanding its own line-up of fuel-efficient, low-emission vehicles, Toyota briefly mentioned plans to expand a technology sharing pact with GM that will include development of fuel-cell models. Watanabe said the two automakers have "basically agreed to" continue working together after their partnership ends in March. He said the two are currently in the “final stages” of mapping out a detailed plan.

According to Bloomberg, “Toyota’s next pickup truck may be the FTX concept model, displayed in Detroit at the North American International Auto Show last year, featuring a V8 and a hybrid engine.”