(autoinsidernews) - With Toyota committed to selling one million hybrids worldwide, Toyota is considering expanding its Prius into a full line of body-styles, which could include a wagon and minicar. Jim Lentz, Toyota's executive vice president of the company's U.S. sales unit, has mentioned that the U.S. market will account for half of the expected one million sales, reports Trend.
According to Lentz, Toyota will require several derivatives of the Prius, For us to do 600,000, there will probably have to be Prius and derivatives of Prius that are selling in the neighborhood of 300,000 to 400,000, he said. We don't have any plans to do that right now, but that's the direction that nameplate can go, because it is that strong.
The smaller city car variant of the Prius would fit with the trend toward people moving into inner-city lofts, Lentz said. Lentz also said there is demand for a Prius with a little more utility, so you could imagine something that's a little more utility or crossover-based.
Toyota has been the most aggressive automaker in its promotion of hybrid vehicles, and its Lexus luxury division is interested in offering hybrid versions of the entire range.