There are a number of interesting rumors floating around about the future of Toyota hybrids. As a hybrid owner myself, I have been following the developments very closely. While watching for new hybrids to hit the showroom floor, I have encountered some sinister rumors about impending hybrid shortages.

First, the good rumors- Toyota has several hybrid concepts that they hope to introduce soon. These include the A-BAT, the PHEV (Plug in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) 1/X and the PHEV Prius. Also rumored to be in the works are plans for a mid-size hybrid-only model with a 2.5 or 3 liter engine. The new vehicle would include third-generation hybrid technology coupled with a larger engine than the Prius to appeal more broadly to the North American market. Rumor has it that this vehicle will come out in 2009. Another interesting rumor floating around is the chance that the new Venza, which is set for a late-2008 release will also be released as a hybrid sometime in 2009.

Now for the bad rumors- there may be a shortage of materials available to manufacture hybrids. As the appeal of hybrids spreads beyond the Prius and even beyond Toyota, precious metals used in the manufacture of batteries may become harder to find. There are indications that Toyota will slow production of the popular Prius this year because of a shortage of batteries. There are even rumors that Toyota is trying to purchase mines to protect its interest in the required materials.

Prototype PHEV Prius’ are already in use by Toyota, while the 1/X and the A-BAT concept vehicles were displayed at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January. But what of plans for a new mid-size hybrid or a hybrid Venza?

Currently, Toyota has not publicly admitted to any plans to release a hybrid Venza, but the Venza shares many features with the Highlander. As a crossover vehicle that is marketed as smaller and more fuel-efficient than an SUV, it’s hard to imagine Toyota not releasing a hybrid package. The only question is- will a hybrid model come as soon as 2009? With the Venza being released in 2008 and a 4-cylinder version coming out in 2009, I expect that there will be an additional wait for a hybrid version. If I had to guess, I’d say late 2009 at the earliest, but probably by early 2010. That gives the 6-cylinder and 4-cylinder Venza models a chance to mature and gain acceptance in the US market.

What of a mid-size hybrid sedan? Toyota has announced a concept hybrid sports car called the FT-HS, to be powered by a 400hp hybrid powertrain. Add to that the A-BAT and the 1/X concept, and you have a very strong field of hybrid hopefuls at Toyota. The Hybrid X made its debut at the Geneva Auto Show, but as a four-door, four seater, it does not quite fit the bill as the “mid-size sedan” that is said to more closely resemble the Camry in size. Toyota already makes a hybrid minivan (the Estima- a four-wheel-drive hybrid available in Japan) and there are rumored to be plans for a hybrid Sienna in the US soon.

With all of the innovation on a practical and conceptual level, it would be easy for Toyota to produce a new hybrid. After four years of the Prius virtually unchanged, many buyers are looking for change. The Prius will still have a place on the Toyota lot, but it just may be time for a new American hybrid- perhaps one with a slightly better profit margin. If Toyota is getting ready to release such a vehicle, it would once again shift the hybrid edge firmly back to Toyota. Thus, I get the feeling that something has to be in development. The fact that we haven’t heard about it from Toyota makes me suspect that they are closer to surprising the competition than they’re letting on. So perhaps this rumor is true- or at least close.

As to the chance of a hybrid shortage, there are reports that this may be a problem in the future. Toyota has announced that production of the Prius will decline in 2008 because of production issues. “Our volume on Prius was up 67% (in 2007),” said Toyota GM Bob Carter. “That was a supply-restricted 67% increase. That’s 181,000 cars. We can’t repeat that, no way, even though the demand may be there. We just can’t keep up. So you will see much more moderate growth because of the supply.” Is production being held up by the battery?

It may be more complicated than that. The battery is needed for Camry, Highlander and Lexus hybrids as well as the Prius. It only makes sense that priority would go to these higher-profit vehicles during even a slight battery shortage. As of yet, there are no reports of a shortage of these Toyota hybrids. In fact, no other manufacturer is reporting difficulty keeping up with hybrid demand. Of course, no other hybrid vehicle is approaching 188,000 units in a year.

There seems to be growing concern about the availability and cost of the precious metals that are required for hybrid batteries. According to a report in Asahi Shimbun, there are rumblings on the part of Toyota executives to look into options, including acquiring mines. In March, 2007, senior Toyota advisor Hiroshi Okuda shocked a gathering by inquiring, “Is there a way we could purchase an entire mine?” Mining precious metals would be a drastic step for Toyota, mainly because the process is often viewed as environmentally unfriendly. Toyota president Katsuaki Watanabi has made Toyota’s position clear, “Without co-existence with the environment, Toyota has no future.”

Thus far, engineering teams have focused heavily on limiting the need for valuable resources. For example, the design of the Crown (a high-end sedan available in Japan) features an integrated electronic control unit that is free of wire harnessing, saving copper. Nonetheless, Toyota’s trading house, Toyota Tsusho Corp, has sent fact-finding teams to mines in China, Vietnam, Australia, Canada and Mongolia. The effort has been so intensive that Shigeo Nakamura of the rare metal trading company Advanced Material Japan referred to 2007 as, “the first year of Japan’s natural resource diplomacy.”

When questioned about the biggest threat facing Toyota today, President Watanabe listed his biggest concern as, “The risk of (being unable to secure) materials.” Although Toyota has made no real moves toward acquiring a mine or interests in rare metals, it has laid a strong groundwork to protect its interests in that area. In the meantime, the conversion to hybrid technology is taking place- limited not by demand but by availability of materials.

Scion unveiled its Hako Coupe Concept vehicle at the New York International Auto Show. The Hako Coupe was developed by Tokyo Design Division, which studied global, youth-inspired trends. The design team looked at both American and Japanese trends in as part of their efforts. The Hako Coupe Concept was inspired by the iconic xB and the emergence of American vintage style among young Tokyo trendsetters.

“Scion’s Hako Coupe Concept embodies a distinct global perspective on today’s youth,” said Jack Hollis, Scion vice president. “We took the xB’s iconic boxy shape and explored something more vivacious, yet just as emotionally appealing. This concept is the sporty version of a box.”

Tokyo Design developed the Hako Coupe with classic American coupes in mind. The car was given a geometric profile, trapezoidal LED headlights that lie parallel with a large and aggressive, rectangular upper grille. The lower rectangular grille anchors the front fascia and continues to communicate the Hako’s aggressive attitude. Round fog lights, symmetrically placed high on the front bumper, have integrated turn signals.

The Hako’s silhouette is accentuated by slim, race-car-inspired side mirrors that also feature integrated turn signals. Powerful, flared fenders add dimension and contrast to the concept’s boxy shape and smooth surface planes. The Hako concept hugs the road with custom 18-inch deep dish five-spoke wheels and tires with a “Scion” custom tread.

The Hako Coupe features a vertical windshield; the side windows wrap around the rear and are tinted to add an air of mystery. The concept is equipped with a flat, panorama roof that features a random, barcode-like pattern that can be seen on the exterior and from the interior.
The rear features LED taillights that echo the shape of the headlights. To complete the package, the rear bumper has an integrated fog and back up light on the left and exhaust on the right.

Inside, the Hako is accented with orange and metallic detailing. The front and rear seats are covered with urethane and rubber-like upholstery for easy cleaning. The contemporary front bucket seats flow to the floor and incorporate a geometric design on the seatback. The seats are separated by a center console. Two cockpit-like rear seats also share a storage crevice.
The orange driver’s seat has a gaming theme. Instrumentation and warning lights cascade from the art inspired instrument panel to the steering wheel. The shifter, located on the center console, resembles a large joystick. On the steering wheel is a simple button to start the engine and a track-ball type control for the Hako’s entertainment system located on the passenger dash. The entertainment system consists of two video monitor screens mounted on the dash for radio, video, and music capabilities. Users can upload their videos and music through a Bluetooth® connection. The front passenger controls the system using a large rollerball mounted on the center of the dash. A black seat differentiates the front passenger area.

Video monitors located on each door and on each side of the rear seating area project distorted fish-eye images from orange filtered cameras mounted beneath the A-pillars. While the vehicle is parked the driver and passenger can edit the scenes captured by the cameras to show their friends where they have been and perhaps even post the clip online for others to see.

“As you know, polarizing style fits in well with our lineup,” said Hollis. “And of course we love a good box. We’ll listen to the feedback from this concept to help us determine how our brand could evolve and grow over the next five years.”

SCION HAKO COUPE CONCEPT VEHICLE
PRELIMINARY SPECIFICATIONS
DIMENSIONS (inches)
Overall Length: 145.7
Overall Width: 68.1 without side mirrors
74.0 including side mirrors
Overall Height: 57.5
Wheelbase: 94.5
Ground clearance: 4.0
Wheels: 18-inch alloy wheels
Tire Size: 225/45 R18
Seating Capacity: 4
Currently, an engine type has not been chosen for the Haku Coupe.

There has been a decided shift in style evident at the New York International Auto Show (March 21-30). As a direct result of economic fears and environmental awareness, this year features a smaller, leaner trend. It’s something that has been building since the Toyota Prius made headlines; this year, the legacy of the Prius forcefully caught up with auto makers.

A quick look at the exhibits speaks volumes- smaller, urban and hybrid vehicles are the last hope of auto makers. The leaders of the pack, as far as attention-getting vehicles, were not big, luxurious of fast cars, but rather the tiny or alternative fueled vehicles. Even the flying car (the AirCar by Milner Motors) did not garner as much attention as the 1L, 71hp, 3-cylinder Smart Car from Mercedes.

At it’s Lexus display, the focus was mainly on the Lexus hybrid, highlighting the “power of H” ad campaign underway. Arcade-style video games were placed to draw crowds back into the high performance IS F display. In Lexus’ SUV section was one item that perhaps highlights the economic hardships that face the luxury market: a 2007 Lexus pre-owned SUV. Intended to show the quality of Lexus pre-owned vehicles, it is a reminder that the big luxury SUV market will suffer most in the current economic climate.

Toyota featured its own hybrid- in this case a hydrogen fuel cell hybrid (FCHV). The FCHV is a concept vehicle that Toyota has been testing. A working model, based off of the Highlander frame, was on a rotating display next to a full-size cutaway model and multi-media demonstration. Also featured at Toyota was the new Venza, which will be available later this year. Considered a “crossover,” it is a smaller version of an SUV- a reflection of growing concerns about fuel economy. The phrase “station wagon” makes the nice folks at Toyota cringe, but it’s hard not to think “station wagon” unless you are thinking “mini-van,” which just might cause the Toyota people to hyperventilate.

In its own truck section, Toyota’s emphasis was on quality engineering. The big feature there is a full-scale cutout of the Tundra Crewmax. The exhibit detailed the engine and drivetrain components, some of the design features that make the Tundra durable and strong, the comfort of the passenger compartment and the safety features in the Tundra.

Lastly, Scion chose the New York Auto Show for the world premier of the Scion Haku Coupe. After an introduction from Scion vice-president Jack Hollis, the Haku Coupe was presented by members of its Tokyo Design Team, Thomas Bergeron and Tadao Mori.

Scion, known for its small, urban vehicles, continued the signature style with the Haku Coupe. Haku is the Japanese word for “box,” and is aptly named. The design specifically targets the urban youth culture with hard angles and straight lines giving it a square look reminiscent of an old 1930s Chicago gangster car. It is designed to stand out, to maintain a “Scion” signature look and to get attention. “You either love it or hate it,” admits Jack Hollis. Love it or hate it, if the New York International Auto Show is any indication, small and boxy are the design trends of the future.

Toyota has announced that it plans to launch the Toyota brand in South Korea in late 2009 through its local distributor Toyota Motor Korea Co., Ltd. Toyota has set initially modest goal of selling 500 vehicles monthly, mainly through five dealerships located in Seoul. The hope is to increase sales to 1,000 vehicles monthly shortly thereafter. Available vehicles will initially include the Prius gasoline-electric hybrid passenger vehicle, RAV4 small SUV and Camry midsize sedan, including a hybrid version.

“In introducing the Toyota brand to South Korea, we intend to work hard to thoroughly implement our ‘customer-first’ policy so as to provide South Korean customers with high-quality products and services”, said TMC Chairman Fujio Cho. The Toyota vehicles will join Lexus vehicles that have been available in South Korea since January, 2001. Available Lexus models include the LS460, LS600h, ES350, GS350/460, IS250, RX350, RX400h and SC430.

For the first time in 54 years, a major NASCAR event has been won by a non-US auto company. Kyle Busch drove the Snickers Toyota #18 to the win the Kobalt Tool 500 in Atlanta- the first Sprint Cup Series win for Toyota.

Tony Stewart, one of Kyle Busch’s teammates on the Joe Gibbs Racing Team, drove a Toyota into second place. Brian Vickers raced his Toyota into ninth place for Red Bull Racing. That gave Toyota three of the top ten finishes, including both first and second place, prompting Top Gear’s Nick Trott to comment, “Perhaps Toyota Camrys are cool after all?”

The last time that a foreign automaker won a major NASCAR event was June 13, 1954. Back then, driver Al Keller drove a Jaguar to victory in a race in Linden, NJ. What is truly outstanding about the Toyota success is that this is only the second NASCAR season for Toyota.

Toyota made its NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut in the 2007 season. Jim Aust, President and CEO of Toyota Racing Development referred to 2007 as, “a learning year.” It seems that Toyota learned well from its 2007 season. “This is a date that will go down in the history of Toyota Motorsports- and we look at it, certainly, as one of many more to come,” Aust commented.

Clearly pleased, he added, “It’s obviously a historic day for Toyota to get the first Sprint Cup win of our short career.” He predicts more wins for 2008. “I said all along from the very beginning that I thought the number was somewhere in the area of eight, so I’m going to stick to that.”

Scion will unveil an all-new concept vehicle, the Hako Coupe, at the 2008 New York International Auto Show. The sporty interpretation of the box concept was developed by Tokyo Design Division which studied global, youth-inspired trends.

The Scion press conference will take place on Wednesday, March 19 at 3:15 PM ET in the Special Events Hall in Javits Convention Center. For those unable to attend, the event will be streamed live to the Scion.com website. Following the event, a video clip of the press conference will also be available for viewing at Scion.com.

Of course, watch for full, independent coverage of the press conference right here at www.Toyoland.com