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By MURRAY
HUBBARD
7 September 2009
Australia
has joined Japan, the US, China and Thailand as the fifth country
to start production of the Toyota Camry Hybrid. Toyota Australia
has just marked the start of pilot production in what will see
full production underway late this year with the car going on sale
from January 10 next year.
Victorian Premier John Brumby, and Federal Minister for Innovation
Industry, Science and Research, Senator Kim Carr, officially
pushed the button to start production. They were flanked by Toyota
Australia president and chief executive officer, Max Yasuda.
Mr
Yasuda said the introduction of hybrid technology in Toyota's
local manufacturing was one of the most significant developments
in the company's 50-year history in Australia. “This has the
potential to change the automotive landscape forever,” he said.
“Toyota is working towards a sustainable local automotive
industry that supported jobs, innovation and, ultimately, a
prosperous low-carbon society.”
In the pilot production phase, Toyota produces a small batch of
vehicles to test all processes, parts and assembly methods.
Toyota's dealer advisor group has already been driving the hybrid
at Sydney's Eastern Creek race track.
“They were blown away with the product,” said Toyota's
director sales and marketing, David Buttner. “Toyota were
committed to hybrid technology, but had not closed the door on any
other power sources. By 2020 Toyota is committed to having a
hybrid option within every model range, he said. Toyota has spent
the past 40 years investigating hybrid technology.
Mr Buttner said pricing for the Camry Hybrid was yet to be
decided, but hinted it would be in the same order that diesel
powered cars were compared to petrol. “I think the difference
between diesel and petrol is about $3500, so we would not want to
be too far from that,” he said.
Toyota is hoping to sell 10,000 Camry Hybrid cars a year, plus a
further 300 will be exported to New Zealand. Camry Hybrid's
introduction to the Toyota plant at Altona near Melbourne has
meant significant changes to production processes, to allow for
major changes including the installation of new, high-tech,
equipment.
“We have re-engineered many of our manufacturing processes to
improve ergonomics, specifically for the installation of hybrid
components,” said Mr Yasuda. More than 3200 people work at the
Altona plant. The new Camry Hybrid uses what Toyota calls Hybrid
Synergy Drive which makes the use of two power sources: a petrol
engine and an electric motor. The Camry Hybrid to be manufactured
at Altona is a mid-life update with Toyota Australia hoping it
will also be able to produce the next generation Camry Hybrid.
Toyota is planning to introduce eight new hybrid models in the
next four years.
Toyota says the nickel-metal hydride batteries in Prius and Camry
Hybrid have been designed to last the life of the vehicle. Toyota
has sold more than 13,000 Prius Hybrid vehicles in Australia and
the performance of the batteries has been `outstanding.'
Prius taxis have been driven for more than 350,000 kilometres on
the original battery. “We have only had to replace a handful
of batteries for mileage-related reasons – and they had all done
more than 400,000 km,” said Toyota's product planning manager,
Ashley Edwards.
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Marque Publishing Company
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