Toyota to Make 20 Pct of Corolla, Levin Sedans Hybrid in China

Beijing, April 21 (Jiji Press)--Japan's Toyota Motor Corp. <7203> aims to make hybrid versions eventually account for 20 pct of total sales of the new Corolla and Levin compact sedans it will launch in China this year, a senior company official said on Monday. Hiroji Onishi, head of the Japanese automaker's Chinese operations, unveiled the plan at a press conference at the ongoing motor in Beijing. In China this year, Toyota is poised to release gasoline-powered versions of the fully remodeled Corolla and its newly introduced sister model with the revived "Levin" badge. It will add hybrid versions powered by a Chinese-made hybrid system next year. Last year, Toyota sold 1.27 million hybrid vehicles globally, but only 26,800 of them were in the world's largest automobile market. Although a Chinese subsidy program for environmentally friendly vehicles, including electric vehicles, does not cover hybrids, Onishi expressed the company's strong commitment to paving the way for expanding its hybrid sales in the country. By using the Chinese-made hybrid system, Toyota will be able to sell the new sedans for relatively reasonable prices. By contrast, the main components of the Chinese-made Prius hybrid are imported from Japan. Toyota aims to expand its vehicle sales in China to 2 million units at an early date, up from 910,000 units in 2013, and to increase its output capacity to 990,000 units in 2015. But Toyota needs to boost its Chinese capacity even further, Onishi said, adding that the company is in talks with local partners. END