Toyota to build Prius in Mississippi

Toyota Prius Plug-in Prototype

Tundra and Sequoia production will be idled for three months

Toyota Motor Corp. today revealed that it has scrambled its manufacturing plans to produce fewer light trucks and more hybrid cars in the United States.

Toyota said it will build the hot-selling Prius hybrid at its Tupelo, Miss., factory in late 2010, scrubbing a plan to make the next-generation Highlander crossover there.



Instead, the Highlander will be added to Toyota's underutilized truck plant in Princeton, Ind. Toyota also will suspend all production of Tundra pickups and Sequoia SUVs from Aug. 8 until November.

When production resumes, all Tundra output will be consolidated at the San Antonio plant.

PRESS RELEASE : Toyota to Build Prius in U.S.

Highlander to Indiana; all Tundra to Texas

ERLANGER, Ky., July 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Toyota is responding to changes in consumer demand and improving the production efficiency and stability of its North American operations by adjusting production mix at three plants. The changes include the addition of the Prius hybrid sedan to its North American lineup.

The changes are as follows:

- Prius will be built at a plant under construction in Blue Springs, Miss. Production is scheduled to begin in late 2010. Prius, which will join the Kentucky-built Camry Hybrid as the second Toyota hybrid built in North America, enables Toyota to better respond to increased consumer demand for hybrid vehicles.

- The Highlander mid-size SUV, originally scheduled to be built in Mississippi, will now be manufactured in Princeton, Ind., beginning in Fall 2009.

- Production of the Tundra full-size pick-up truck, currently built in Indiana and Texas, will be consolidated at the San Antonio plant in Spring 2009.

In addition, Toyota will temporarily suspend Tundra and Sequoia production beginning August 8 due to the declining overall market for full size trucks and SUVs. Production is scheduled to resume in early November. Team members at both facilities, as well as the Huntsville, Ala. plant that builds Tundra and Sequoia engines, will continue to be provided work.

"The truck market continues to worsen, so unfortunately we must temporarily suspend production. But this good news about production mix demonstrates our long-term commitment to our North American operations and to our team members, supplier partners, and communities where our plants are located," said Jim Wiseman, vice president/external affairs for Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America (TEMA). "By using this downturn as an opportunity to develop team members and improve our operations, we hope to emerge even stronger."

[Source : Automotive News .. Sub req.]