Japanese production problems will take a long time to sort - given the complexity of the supply chain.
Toyota Motor Corp. announced late Wednesday that it decided to postpone launch of the Japan-market Prius station wagon that was originally scheduled for late April. No decision has been made when the Prius wagon launch will be rescheduled.
When the Prius V debuted in Detroit at the North American International Auto Show (as the wagon is called in the U.S.), Toyota said it would launch at the end of summer 2011 in the U.S. (See Toyota Reveals Prius extended Family of Vehicles at the NAIAS)
“No decision has been made in regards to a possible need to change the launch timing,” Toyota said in a statement. “We’re making every effort to minimize disruptions to our overall operations.”
At the same time Toyota was telling workers in U.S. plants to expect shutdowns because of parts shortages resulting from Japan’s triple disasters of earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear plant meltdowns. Toyota said it did not know at this time when, where or how long the production disruptions would last, but it was likely that some would happen.
“Currently, the greatest majority of parts for our North America-built vehicles come from approximately 500 suppliers in North America. Also, we continue to receive parts from Japan that were already in the pipeline, limiting the immediate impact. We will continue to work closely with suppliers in North America and Japan to minimize any disruptions to Toyota’s overall North American operations,” Toyota said.
For Toyota, the Prius V hybrid rollout cannot happen too soon. U.S. sales in 2010 were flat as all other major makers posted increases during a modest market recovery. For recall-ridden Toyota it was the worst year since Toyota came to the U.S. 55 years ago.
Prius V station wagon uses the same platform, hybrid technology and nickel metal hydride battery pack as the current Prius. Main benefits are 34 cubic feet of cargo space, and projected EPA fuel economy ratings of 40 mpg combined – the best of any mid-size crossover or SUV on sale in the U.S.
The extension of the Prius family of vehicles is part of a Toyota corporate plan for adding 11 new hybrid models to its global lineup in the next 23 months.
Honda automobile plants in North America will continue normal production through April 1. However, due to concerns about the supply of a few critical parts from Japan, Honda workers at North American plants were told Friday that there is likelihood that Honda will experience some temporary interruptions to vehicle production after that date, until the parts supply issues are resolved.
Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announced today that it will resume production in Japan next Monday of the Prius along with the Lexus CT 200h and HS 250h.
Prius production will be restarted at TMC’s Tsutsumi plant, while the Lexus CT 200h and HS 250h will resume production at Toyota Motor Kyushu.
Today’s announcement comes one week after TMC in Japan restarted production of replacement parts, and three days after reopening some of its plants which produce parts for overseas production, in the aftermath of a massive earthquake/tsunami that struck the country on March 11.
TMC will continue to assess parts supply as it considers the restart of other vehicle plants in Japan, Toyota said in a statement.