A few months ago, we reported on Toyota's Hybrid X concept car - a mildly-conceptised version of its likely next Prius - the best selling hybrid in the world. Since then, things have moved on apace. Toyota announced that it has now sold cumulatively over one million hybrids world wide - and that it plans, in the not so distant future (think 2010) to be selling one million a year, mainly through expanding the Prius line out to create a separate hybrid 'brand' with two or perhaps three car lines.
This started something of a discussion - Toyota is likely to build off the start of the Prius, so that it can use the green equity it has created, and design cars that look 'different' - i.e. stand alone hybrids - rather than hybrid-ise versions of its regular car range as a strategy (as it current does with the Camry hybrid - whose sales are decreasing). Having proven successful for them thus far - the question is being raised as to whether 'green cars' should be designed as statements - to look different from their counterparts - a concept neatly brought up over at Greenmonk.net by James Governor.
The idea seems to have mileage; with sales of the Prius continuing to grow, and it having become the green statement car, other manufacturers now want a share of the pie. Perhaps that's why GM last week announced the opening of a separate styling centre for its green cars - and has promised that the production version of the Volt concept car will look different from anything else in the Chevrolet range. When it comes to green autos, it appears that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Disclosure: The Movement Design Bureau team are contributors to Greenmonk.net.
Posted by Joseph Simpson on the 4th July 2007
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