Toyota has said that its Chinese JV making the Prius has started making the third generation model.
Sichuan FAW Toyota Motor Co., Ltd., a joint vehicle-production company established with China FAW Group Corporation in China’s Sichuan Province, began production last week of the third-generation Prius gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle at its Changchun Plant. Sales of the vehicle will begin in early 2012.
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Production of the Prius began in China in 2005, marking the first time the vehicle was produced outside Japan. In 2010, GAC Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. in Guangdong Province began production of the Camry Hybrid sedan.
In October at a cornerstone-laying ceremony for Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (China) Co., Ltd.’s R&D Center in Changshu, TMC announced plans to further localise production of hybrid technologies in China. At the ceremony, President Akio Toyoda stated TMC’s intent to create a development group for the production of Chinese-made hybrid vehicles and to realize the localised production of hybrid system components by around 2015.
