Toyota’s Chinese Hybridization

The Chinese government has been getting serious about controlling the emission and consumption of its rapidly growing fleet. Local manufacturers such as BYD and foreign joint venture partners are quick to rise to the occasion. Toyota’s Chinese joint venture with Guangzhou Automobile launched today a hybrid version of the Camry. The Camry is well liked in China, more than half a million of the non-hybrid version have been sold in China between its launch there in June 2006 and the end of February 2010. The hybrid Camry Hybrid won’t come cheap.
It will carry an MSRP between 319,800 yuan ($46,800) and 364,800 yuan ($53,400). It will be a tough sell. The Camry is Toyota’s 5th hybrid in China, joining the Prius, launched 2005 as the first hybrid vehicle in China, followed 2007 by the hybrid version of the Lexus LS600, the Lexus RX400h SUV, and the Lexus GS450h sports sedan, launched in 2009.