Toyota India launched the Prius hybrid vehicle at the 2010 Auto Expo and exactly two years later, at the 2012 Auto Expo, the company launched the new Prius in India. While the company was not hoping to repeat the success of the Toyota Prius abroad, the Japanese automaker was sure hoping to do some decent numbers with the Prius. However the Prius has failed to sell anywhere close to Toyota’s pessimistic estimates. If I tell you the sales figure of the Toyota Prius so far this year, you will be in total shock. Yes Toyota India sold just 1 (O-N-E) unit of the Prius in 2012.
One unit in 5 months equates to a total flop for the Toyota Prius. While many have praised the Prius no ends and celebrities in Hollywood are almost certainly seen with one, what has caused this misery for the hybrid vehicle? PRICE. That is the sole factor why the Prius has not worked in India. It is available in two variants – Z3 and Z4, priced at an astronomical Rs. 34.31 lakhs and 36.18 lakhs respectively. Mind you, the Prius is not any bigger than a typical C-segment vehicle, with the length and width less than the Corolla. Then why should anyone pay more than double the amount, when the savings in fuel costs (against a petrol alternative) will take more than a decade to recover? Factor in the higher maintenance of the battery and the Prius doesn’t make much sense at all.
But Toyota being a master in selling cars might have a solution. MotorBeam reader Shrikanth Achar spotted the Prius undergoing tests in Bangalore. These tests could just be routine or Toyota might be planing to assemble the Prius locally, bringing in the vehicle through the CKD-route. This will result in reduced duties and a reduction of prices. However Toyota needs to locally manufacture the Prius to see volumes, which won’t be happening in the near future. Till then, the Toyota Prius will remain as rare a sighting on Indian roads as the Lamborghini Aventador.
The Toyota Prius is powered by a 1.8-litre petrol engine which gets a 60 kW motor. The Prius produces 98 BHP of peak power output at 5200 RPM and 142 Nm of peak torque output at 4000 RPM. The vehicle weighs 1390 kgs and is mated to a CVT gearbox.
