The demand accelerates for Toyota hybrid
Claire Boudreau, a self-described environmentalist, knew from the moment the concept was introduced that she wanted a hybrid gasoline/electric automobile -- once the kinks had been worked out of the technology.
So, the Ayer woman marched into Acton Toyota on Oct. 1, as soon as the lighter, more efficient, 2004 Prius hit dealerships, convinced she was near the head of the line.
At best, she was near the end of a national line that formed even before the car appeared in a showroom. And it is a line that continues to grow -- one so long that those waiting for 2004 models may have to be patient until the 2005 models roll off the assembly line. It has left frustrated buyers and dealers across the country struggling to keep up with the public's hunger for a car whose popularity has outrun its production.
"Demand has gone through the roof," said Toyota spokesman Wade Hoyt.
At the time Boudreau went to her dealership, Toyota had already sold 15,000 cars -- nearly half its planned 2004 model year sales. In fact, in late December, Toyota said that it would bump the 36,000 annual production figure to 47,000 -- but that increase may not be reflected until the 2005 model year, Hoyt said.
The Prius (pronounced PREE-us) uses a small gasoline engine, which is clean and fuel-efficient. The electric motor can move the car on its own, at slower speeds, and aid the gasoline engine under heavier demand. Under the best conditions, it can get about 55 miles per gallon. It has a base price of around $20,000 and appeals both to the cost-conscious and those wishing to make an environmental/political/anti-SUV statement with what they drive.
Toyota officials acknowledge they did not make enough Priuses because they simply underestimated the car's appeal. They didn't even launch an extensive early advertising campaign, which would have been a waste of money, Hoyt said, since it is selling faster than it can be built.
So, who's to blame for the overwhelming popularity of the Prius? Cameron Diaz and Sting for starters.
Movie and music stars who have posed proudly with their Priuses at high-profile events such as the Oscars have certainly boosted sales, along with Internet chatter plugging the hybrid as the next big thing, not to mention buyers of the first-generation Prius -- launched in 2001 -- who were given early invitations to upgrade by Toyota.
Prius sales showed steady increases since its introduction in 2001 when Toyota sold 15,556 cars. That figure jumped to 20,119 in 2002 and demand has since outstripped supply.
Some analysts believe supplies of the hybrid have been limited because Toyota has absorbed some of the costs of the car's actual build price as it groomed the American market for a flood of other hybrid vehicles. Indeed, early hybrids were acknowledged to be "rolling laboratories" meant to demonstrate reliability and efficiency to a sometimes wary public.
A hybrid uses the electric motor for mild acceleration from stop, with the gasoline engine kicking in as higher speeds or heavy acceleration occur. In deceleration, the electric motor acts as a large generator, recharging the batteries that later will power it. At full stops, both engine and motor shut off automatically. It is billed as getting 55 miles per gallon, though with real-life experiences -- cold weather, heavy loads, and driving styles -- factored in that figure can be lower.
"We're telling customers they may have to wait eight months," said Tony Bruno, sales manager at Boch Toyota in Norwood, where 25 people are on the Prius waiting list. "We're pressuring Toyota to get more."
Meanwhile, ripple effects from the Toyota logjam are notable.
First, one Toyota official said that salespeople with no immediate offerings of Priuses are likely attempting to steer customers to other models with clean, efficient, but gasoline-only engines.
And
Indeed, while Chuck Schifsky, a Honda public relations spokesman, said that "we haven't had a run that would mean a waiting list," sales for this year are on track to beat the 21,771 Hybrids sold in the 2003 calendar year. The Honda Civic Hybrid sells for about the same price as the Prius. It differs from the Prius in that its gasoline engine always runs when the car is moving, and the electric motor serves as a boost for extra power.
And the hybrid battle will continue as both companies are poised to spread hybrids throughout their lineups, with a hybrid Accord coming from Honda and Toyota ready to build a hybrid version of both its Highlander SUV and Lexus RX 330 SUV. Minivans and other basic models from both are sure to follow, spokesmen say. Nissan and Ford are also ready to enter the hybrid wars.
And even then, Toyota will soon ramp up its Prius production.
Even as he announced the bump to 47,000 cars, Don Esmond, senior vice president and general manager of Toyota Motor Sales, proclaimed: "If 47,000 units is still too low, another request for additional production from our Tsutsumi plant in Japan may be necessary."
Until then Boudreau continues to wait, fearing her 1995 Saturn may be on its last legs.
"The salesman has been great to me," she said of man who told her in October she'd have her new car in two months. "He calls me every two weeks."
But he has yet to call with good news.
Royal Ford can be reached at ford@globe.com.
