The nation's largest automaker, Hotai Motor Co (
"We plan to import the Prius hybrid passenger vehicle next year, which will be our first batch of hybrid cars locally available for commercial launch," said Frank Huang (
Toyota was the first automaker in the industry to introduce a hybrid vehicle powered by a combination of gasoline and electricity, which decreases the vehicle's environmental impact and uses less fuel than conventional gasoline models.
While the price range for the different Prius models is still under evaluation, the cars are expected to sell for at least NT$1 million (US$30,000), he said.
More expensive
As hybrid cars are generally 50 percent more expensive than conventional models, a limited number of Prius vehicles will be available in Taiwan, Huang said.
The company said that it does not plan to import vehicles with diesel engines in the near term. According to Huang, diesel-powered vehicles compromise on speed, comfort and engine quietness compared with gasoline models, and the initial cost to vendors will be higher.
Diesel-powered vehicles are better suited for use as commercial vehicles or long-distance buses, rather than for use by the general public, he said.
Pondering diesel
However, Ford Lio Ho Motor Co (
It intends to introduce them to local buyers by the third quarter of next year, said Joanna Kao (
Hyundai Motor Co, meanwhile, said that sales of its diesel-based Trajet cars exceeded the company's initial target after being launched here in May. The company is confident of selling a total of 1,200 units by December, an official said.
Hotai Motor yesterday also unveiled its range of Vios compact cars for next year. Targeted at buyers in their 20s, the new models are priced around NT$442,000 to NT$522,000.
The Vios lineup has garnered total sales of more than 77,000 units since their launch in March 2003, translating into sales of around 2,600 units per month, Hotai president Daniel Chang (張重彥) said at the launch yesterday.
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