Toyota Revs up Production of new Prius to Meet Increased Demand in Japan

Higher-than-expected demand in Japan has 'forced' Toyota to ramp up production of its third-generation Prius Hybrid. Toyota spokesman Hideaki Homma, told Bloomberg news that the company has increased production to 50,000 Prius hybrids a month at its Tsutsumi factory and Toyota Auto Body Co.'s Fujimatsu plant. The spokesman did not reveal how many units of the Prius were built before revving up production.

The 2010 Prius was the No. 1 selling vehicle in Japan for May, taking the top spot in the domestic market for the first time ever. According to Homma, as of June 5, Toyota has received more than 140,000 Prius orders in Japan alone.