Toyota Motor Manufacturing France (TMMF) in Valenciennes will build a small hybrid vehicle starting in 2012. As is its custom, the automaker has not named the model but the French plant currently builds the Yaris which, on normal replacement schedule, should have been redesigned by 2012.

“This decision fits in Toyota’s strategy to extend the full hybrid technology to an increasing number of models. Since 2000, almost 300,000 Toyota and Lexus hybrid vehicles have been sold in Europe – and sales results are climbing steadily,” Toyota Motor Europe said in a statement. Its UK plant recently began production of the Auris (Corolla) hybrid hatchback.

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“The Auris hybrid has received an excellent response from the market; the initial production capacity for 2010 is already almost sold out,” TME said. “This success comes in addition to the remarkable performance of the Prius, with sales this year 50% more than in 2009, and of the Lexus range, for which hybrid models represent more than half of European sales.

The automaker is receiving government assistance to launch French hybrid production.

TMMF president Makoto Sano said: “We express our warm gratitude to the authorities for the help they provided in the context of this project. The perspective of receiving financial support from the state and regional and local authorities has played a significant role in the decision in favour of TMMF.”

TMMF has built most Yaris vehicles for European sale since 2001 and has now assembled over 1.8m units. The factory employs about 3,000 people and can make up to 270,000 vehicles a year.

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Toyota has so far spent EUR920m on the plant and adding hybrid production will cost an additional EUR53m.

The automaker plans to offer a hybrid version of all Toyota and Lexus models by the early 2020s.