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July 20, 2005
Asia slow to embrace hybrid cars
While sales of hybrid cars are picking up in US and Europe, in Asia its quite a different story. Hybrid cars, that combines a gasoline engine with an electric motor provide significant fuel efficiency reaching over 60 miles per gallon even on busy city streets.
High intial purchase price combined with no or little support from Asian governments are primary reasons for lack of interest of hybrid cars in the region today according to a Toyota spokesman in Jakarta.
World's number one maker of hybrid vehicles is targeting 180,000 vehicle sales of its popular Prius model in 2005. The Prius which has a 1.5 litre engine gives 66 miles to the gallon according to WhatCar website.
The former Malaysian prime minister Mahatir Mohammad announced recently that Proton will be introducing a hybrid vehicle in five years. Similar statements have been aired by Tata Motor of India as well.
Posted by admin at July 20, 2005 03:20 PM