Toyota keeps on moving foward: details of the automakers newest hybrid concept
If the need for an alternative to conventional petroleum fuel at one time felt only like a talking point in the auto industry, Toyota now seems determined to establish it as a company philosophy. Over the next few years Toyota plans to introduce eight new hybrid models. These will either be all-new dedicated hybrids or all-new hybrids of existing gas engine models; not merely updates to hybrids already on the road. A lot has been written and said about Toyota recently, and it’s been admittedly difficult to separate the truth from hearsay, but one thing remains unambiguous about the Japanese automaker: the scope of its ambition.
Just this past January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Toyota pulled back the curtains on a lime green FT-CH dedicated hybrid concept. And consumer interest followed. Toyota Kenosha dealers have reported interested parties calling and asking about it and even stopping in to find out more, like when will the FT-CH be available? As of now, there is no release date for the vehicle, but what follows is what we do know.
CH stands for compact hybrid. Think Prius but shorter (22 inches shorter) and lighter; and here’s the real eye-opener, the FT-CH will be even more fuel-efficient than the Prius, which gets over 50 mpg in the city. And that’s another thing: the FT-CH, in a way, is designed for younger urban dwellers because of its maneuverability and price range, which is expected to be lower than the Prius. But it’s also conceivable with its good gas mileage that those folks inquiring at the Toyota Kenosha dealership will find the FT-CH suits their suburban and highway needs, as well. Finally, Toyota executives expect the FT-CH will replace the Prius—which is actually considered a mid-size—as the Prius brand’s compact car.
As mentioned earlier, the FT-CH is just the beginning of a company-wide philosophy for Toyota that strives to make hybrids more widely available. Toyota has set out to introduce plug-in hybrids and battery electrics in 2012 and hydrogen fuel cell hybrids in global markets by 2015. In addition to the hybrid shoppers, this could be good news for shoppers of Toyota used cars. Kenosha dealerships should expect to continue fielding calls as customers shop for the new and the old models.
