Takeshi Uchiyamada, Chairman of the Board, Toyota Motor Corporation, challenged the auto industry to step up manufacturing and sales of hybrid vehicles in the United States when he spoke at the Economic Club. Known as the “father of Prius” for having led development of this successful hybrid vehicle, Mr. Uchiyamada set a goal for the industry of selling “five million hybrids in the U.S. by the end of 2016.” Acknowledging that “Some people say hybrid vehicles such as the Prius are only a bridge to the future,” Mr. Uchiyamada added, “But we think it could be a long bridge and a very sturdy one.” He also told Economic Club members that Toyota will introduce a car powered by a hydrogen cell as early as 2015 and that the company is working on a next-generation battery that could make hybrids more efficient and extend their range. He said the target date for production of the battery is 2020.
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