Toyota Prius faces supply shortage, no batteries
August 5, 2009 by Matt Brogan
The all-new third-generation Prius might have to come with a “batteries not included” tag if the supply issue on the Panasonic batteries that feed the hybrid’s electric motors doesn’t improve any time soon.
New Prius has proved such a popular seller for Toyota that supply simply can’t match demand and as a result customer waiting lists now extend several months here in Austalia, in the US and in Toyota’s home market of Japan.
Toyota currently has the capacity to produce about 500,000 Prius hybrids per year, but Toyota’s battery supplier – Panasonic EV Energy – isn’t currently equipped to handle that level of production. As a result, Toyota has been forced to slow production as it waits for batteries to become available.
“The new Prius model has been excessively popular, inconveniencing some of our customers, and the factories are working overtime at full capacity,” said Takahiko Ijichi, Toyota senior managing director. “Unfortunately, the batteries are not catching up with demand. Production of the batteries needs to be increased in order for our production to go up.”
Panasonic beleives it will be able to match demand in a few months as it ramps up production to produce one million batteries per year by 2010.
For a first look at the all-new Prius, click here.
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Judging by the fact this post has been up for a couple of hours now without any comments perhaps CA should take note of the general lack of interest & stop with the yawn inspiring Prius posts…..
On the contrary Pops, I think this article is quite interesting. Maybe you should find more creative ways of spending your time than checking up on a Prius article ‘for a couple of hours’ a day?
LOL, perhaps Pops would be more comfortable reading an issue of Country Life :)
On topic though, I don’t really see how it’s much of an issue. Most imported cars have a 2-3 month waiting list. My SP25 was almost 4!
Yeah i dont see what the problem is. Many Jap and european cars have 3-4 month waiting lists.
Say it aint so… fellow “motoring enthusiasts” sticking up for Prius articles…..
The End is Nigh.
Even with the battery shortage, Prius in the US is apparently outselling all models from Buick, Cadillac and Saturn combined. What’s going to happen when Panasonic catches up? And what does that say for how clever GM are?
I’d just put down $500 deposit for a Prius i-tech. The dealer told me I may have to wait up to 3 months. This news may mean I have to wait even longer. Damn, hate the wait. If they take too long, I will probably buy something else, maybe a 2 years old BMW 3 series.
Hi Delta,
I heard Toyota sold 180,000 new Prius already in Japan only.
(Since May this year. They sold 180, 000 New Prius within one month crazy!!!)
Most customer have to wait until next year at least or average waiting time is 8 month now!!!
So, I must say good luck Delta!!!
Mike Breen, Toyota Australia Public Relations Manager, confirmed today that Australian sales of the Prius so far remain unaffected.
“At this stage, from our point of view, dealer supplies aren’t affected,” Mr Breen said.
Minister Carr has said that the government was also bidding to have the next-generation Camry — due in about 2012 — built here rather than in Thailand.
So taxpayers have paid over $35million to have the hybrid Camry built in Australia for no more than two years???
This is really the sign of things to come with those pinning their hopes on full electric plug-ins. Any serious spike in demand for battery operated vehicles will drive battery raw materials prices through the roof, killing off demand. Good luck to Toyota for tapping into the boutique, world-wide, green, poser market but that’s all it can ever be unless lead-acid/lead-carbon battery technology can do the job effectively. By the way, for the price of a budget Prius you could have a similarly accomplished Mitsubishi Colt and a 2KW solar power system on your roof and that alternative resource package would wipe out the total carbon footprint of driving the Prius 16000km/yr for ten years. That’s when the Mitsi’s ‘power train’ warranty expires by the way. Mitsi should bundle it as Colt ‘Zero’ and prick those Prius prigs’ consciences with it. Might conquer Asia all over again with that famous name.