Toyota to build one million hybrids per year by 2011?

AutoBlog: Toyota to build one million hybrids per year by 2011?

Toyota FT-CH live unveilingToyota is in the enviable position of being the market leader in hybrid production, with over 500,000 battery assisted cars and crossovers sold in 2009. The rest of the industry isn't even close to catching up, and if a report from the Japanese business daily Nikkei is true, it's going to become a lot tougher catch the World's Largest Automaker in the next couple years. Nikkei reports that Toyota will reportedly aim for one million global hybrid sales per year by 2011, twice as many as 2009 and many times more than any other automaker is likely dreaming of selling.

To get to a million hybrids sold, Toyota will likely need to increase the amount of hybrid-powered vehicles it sells while also increasing the amount facilities that produce hybrid vehicles and components. Toyota is expanding hybrid production to countries ranging from China and Thailand to the United States. The Nikkei says Toyota will build as many as 10 new hybrid vehicles for markets around the world.

One vehicle that could help Toyota meet its supposed goal of one million hybrids by 2011 is a production vehicle based on the FT-CH concept from the 2010 Detroit Auto Show. The hybrid hatch is a bit smaller than the Prius, and such a vehicle could produce outstanding fuel economy while also providing big-time boost to hybrid volume.