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Bigger Hybrid Cars Mulled September 2004
Toyota Motor Corp., the world's biggest maker of gasoline-electric vehicles, may produce hybrid cars that are larger than its Prius model to meet demand in North America for roomier vehicles, said President Fujio Cho.
"It may be better for us to make hybrids that are a little bigger than the Prius" given customers' preference of cars in North America, Cho told reporters in Tokyo on Tuesday. "We need to make a decision which models to make" in North America, he said.
Toyota said this month it plans to produce a hybrid vehicle in North America at an existing plant. The automaker has been boosting overseas production to shield itself from currency fluctuations and to deliver models to customers more quickly. The Prius has waiting times in the United States of as long as six months.
"We have to think about making hybrid cars in the U.S.," Cho said. "We make cars where there are customers." He didn't elaborate.
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