Toyota Targets Prius as Top-Selling US Model by 2020
Toyota plans to expand the Prius family and predicts it will overtake the Camry as its best-selling model line in the US by the end of the decade.
Toyota expects its Prius hybrid family to become the company’s best-selling vehicle line in the United States by 2020, overtaking the long-dominant Camry. The plan involves broadening the Prius badge to cover a range of models, according to Bob Carter, Toyota’s group vice president for US sales.
Carter told analysts that the Prius would become the number one nameplate in the US industry by the end of the decade. He said the Camry, which has led Toyota’s American sales for years, would take second place, not because of a drop in Camry demand, but due to growth in the Prius line.
Prius family expansion plans
Toyota’s strategy involves turning Prius from a single hybrid hatchback into a family of vehicles. The company plans to preview several new Prius-badged models at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on 10 January 2011. Among these is an MPV version, which Toyota expects to draw interest from buyers seeking more space and flexibility than the original hatchback offers.
The expansion reflects Toyota’s confidence in hybrid technology and its ambition to maintain leadership in alternative powertrains. At the time, the Prius had already become the world’s best-selling hybrid, with US sales through November 2010 at 126,289 units, a 2 percent fall from the previous year. Full-year figures for 2010 were due to be announced shortly after.
Competition and market context
The Prius faced new competition in the US from the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt, both of which began deliveries in late 2010. While the Prius remained the world’s best-selling alternative powertrain car at that point, the arrival of these fully electric and plug-in hybrid models marked a shift in the US market for low-emissions vehicles.
Toyota’s forecast for the Prius family to become its top US seller by 2020 was based on the assumption that hybrid demand would continue to rise and that broadening the Prius line would attract a wider range of buyers. The company did not release specific sales targets for the expanded range at the time.
What it means for Toyota’s US line-up
If realised, the shift would mark the first time a hybrid nameplate led Toyota’s US sales, displacing the Camry’s long-held position. For dealers and workers, a successful Prius expansion would mean greater emphasis on hybrid sales and potentially more hybrid-focused marketing and aftersales support.
Toyota’s move reflects a wider industry trend towards electrification and alternative powertrains, as mainstream manufacturers seek to respond to tightening emissions standards and changing consumer preferences.
