One More Time: There's a Toyota Prius wait list?
2010 Toyota Prius - Click above for high-res image gallery
Auto sales are down – that's not exactly a surprise to anyone anymore. But Toyota has revived a little something from last summer called a wait list – for people who are interested in buying a new 2010 Prius. According to a story in The New York Times, Toyota is running its Prius production plants in Japan 24 hours a day and offering overtime to workers – even bringing in workers from other areas of the country – to meet demand for the hybrid car. Panasonic EV Energy, the Prius' battery supplier, is also working constantly to keep churning out packs for the model.
This is the effect of those higher-than-expected sales numbers. The NYT says that the waiting list is "several months" long in Japan. While impressive considering the marketplace, Toyota is still warning that 2009 will not be a profitable year for the company.
Gallery: 2010 Toyota Prius
[Source: The New York Times]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
GoodCheer 8:36PM (6/14/2009)
Frankly, I'm not surprised.
The new Prius is a world leader in a number of ways, a big step up from the previous Prius (which I don't think ever really hurt for buyers before the new one was announced).
I would guess the number of people who put of buying any car in the last year JUST to buy the new Prius is not insignificant.
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EVan 9:07PM (6/14/2009)
Is there a waiting list.... really?
This seems like more Toyota public relations trying to drum up some excitement in the face of a new competitor in the dedicated hybrid class.
It would be nice if this post included even the slightest attempt at independent verification of this press release rather than just paraphrasing it and broadcasting it as true.
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Nick 10:33PM (6/14/2009)
Evan is right, it's very possible that this might be a PR coup from Toyota, who knows?
But the new Prius is truly a great car, and I wouldn't be too surprised if it was true.
Will 11:54PM (6/14/2009)
This has to be a PR stunt. I was just in my local dealer here in LA this weekend....and they had 10 of them. All for sale and no wait. Oh and let not forget the 20 2009's sitting right next to them too. Hmmm...one would think in the age of the internet...Toyota would know you can't just make up a story and not be found out.
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tekd 2:39AM (6/15/2009)
How much did your dealer want for them? In a place like LA that particular dealer might just be trying to scalp the Priuses for way above MSRP so they have it available.
I remember a bunch of dealers doing this kind of stuff with the Prius last summer.
Will 3:43AM (6/15/2009)
Yes your point is true....but I looked at one of the 2010's and there was no additional markup that I could see. However once you're sitting across from the saleman...hey that's a different story. But the point of this article was the "wait lists". And from what I could tell....at least at this dealer....there wasn't one. I also checked using Toyota's own website and checked the inventory of a few other dealerships in the area....and everyone of them had at least 5 or more. Yes I know...those are only as reliable as the dealers who update them. But I'm thinking that for now....if you want one...you're probably not going to have a problem getting one.
paulwesterberg 10:53AM (6/15/2009)
My local dealer has 5 in stock. Prices are similar to 2009 models. They still have a number of 2009 models, but have not dropped the price to clear inventory.
Nick P. 12:02AM (6/15/2009)
If this is true (not just PR), all the other manufacturers will want to beat them either by creating an hybrid of their own or by going pure electric.
What I'd like to know is which cars people are *not* buying when they choose to go with Prius. Hopefully, this will force Honda and VW (the other small car value brands) to do better.
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Randy C. 2:37AM (6/15/2009)
I would like to remind everyone that this car, still goes nowhere without gas. You know the stuff, derived from a black toxic chemical mixture called oil. Oil that has a 60% chance of being imported from countries becoming more and more unfriendly. This car is not an innovation, it has no plug, no way to keep going without fuel.
Support Plug in America whose motto is “No Plug? No Deal!” At least hold out for a plug in version or better yet demand an all electric car. This will help America free itself from the whims of foreign dictators.
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paulwesterberg 10:59AM (6/15/2009)
The last car I bought was a prius, doubled my mileage. When it comes time to upgrade our other car I hope to double that again. Right now there are not any highway speed capable, affordable plugins. Right now the prius hits the sweet spot for affordability and efficiency. But that will change in the next 2 years and I look forward to toyota having a little competition.
Charles S 2:43AM (6/15/2009)
Is it a PR stunt? I think the answer is a bit more complex.
First: Should we be skeptical that the report from Japan is false?
There are poor reporting but it is rare that someone will go so far is to make up news about a Toyota plant running overtime. There are just too many sources to verify such claims. If a reporter wants to lie about Prius sales, then quoting that Toyota and Panasonic are running overtime is not the way to do it.
Second: If one US dealership has Prius in stock, does that mean that the waiting list in Japan is a lie?
Er, I guess some people don't know how it works in the auto industry.
Just because Prius is made in Japan doesn't mean that 100% of the vehicles made there has to be allocated for domestic sales ONLY.
It does NOT matter if the plant makes 10,000 units a month and Japan has a waiting list for 20,000 units and US has a waiting list for 10 units. US division of Toyota has dips on "X" number of Prius, especially since this is the first batch that is rolling off the assembly line. Just to be clear, ALL the Prius made today are all spoken for... by the dealership! Those 10 2010 models at the LA dealership is what they asked for, and they get it, regardless of how many people are waiting for the car in Japan or US.
If US has a glut of 2010 models, then in a few months, the Prius plant would adjust and divert numbers to hot markets, like Japan. All this is very common for first year release of a hot car.
Third: Is it still a PR stunt?
Now it is possible that the shortage in Japan is artificial. THAT would be a valid arguement that this is a hyped-up story. But just because a US dealership has 10 new 2010 Prius does NOT mean that it is *impossible* that Japan has a shortage of the new Prius.
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Juggernaut 3:06AM (6/15/2009)
indeed man.. sheesh... americans..... think everything is about them....
in the 1990s, thousands of british ladas were sent back to russia as they were still in demand in the Motherland.... (yes, the british distro did a Yugo trick)
I wouldn't be the least bit surprised that excess Camry's may soon be sent to japan... in highest spec form ...from their american plants... ( wait for Toyota's reliability stats to drop in Japan then)
Kumar 10:51AM (6/15/2009)
On first read, I was thinking...but in Japan, you drive on the left... ;)
Do JDM cars need any specific mods different than the UK market?
Chris M 3:45AM (6/15/2009)
This is not the first time there was a waiting list for the Prius. When sales wend worldwide in late 200 (for the 2001 model) there was a waiting list, early adopters had to wait several months. The same thing happened again with the introduction of the 2004 model. Of course, eventually the supply catches up with demand, so don't worry about it.
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usbseawolf2000 7:10AM (6/15/2009)
Prius was #1 selling car in Japan for the month of May. Considering it only had 2 weeks to sell (launched in May 18th) and beating the Insight, It surely is a hit in Japan.
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Guido Zavagli 8:55AM (6/15/2009)
Matches what I heard in Tokyo yesterday. I brought my car to the local Toyota dealer for the technical inspection, and while waiting had a chat with the staff there. Asked them how long I'd have to wait if I ordered a Prius today, they said I would get it in January. That's January 2010.
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Kumar 10:47AM (6/15/2009)
"Toyota executives hope the strong start by the Prius will be repeated in the United States, where some dealers have been accumulating waiting lists for more than a year."
No need to go into this article more than this....waiting lists in Japan, car just released in the US, and some dealers have been collecting names on a list for sale once it's released (is out now).
We'll see if the US side gets as long of a wait. In this economy, it wouldn't be surprising, as oversupply of a car is going to be a thing of the past for a while.
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DP 10:57AM (6/15/2009)
When I got on the list at my dealer in Minneapolis in April, I was number 70 in line for the new Prius.
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ebow 12:51PM (6/15/2009)
Perhaps Toyota should start manufacturing the Prius in the US as well, to deal with this "problem".
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