The Prius That Shook.. - VFAQ Prius Site

was. In addition, he explained, "This car will be production-
ready by 2001. In 2004, the production for FCEV also will
be completed."
A reporter raised his hand.
"Prius was already introduced in 1997. Why would GM's
hybrid vehicle be only production-ready in 2001? Why
wouldn't it be available to consumers then?" It was a harsh
question.
Smith answered, "That depends on how we can
prepare the infrastructure, how we deal with cost issues, and
also what kind of public support we can get. In Japan,
there is a technological subsidy system based on the
cooperation between the government and the people."
Toyota of course, received no subsidy from the government
for developing Prius. This comment by Smith indicated how
much of a flurry GM was in.
Ford also presented a concept car, "P2000," that
focused on the environment. It achieved 63 kilometers (39
miles) to a gallon by using direct-injection diesel engine in a
light-weight aluminum body. President Jac Nasser
announced, "We are planning to launch a hybrid version of
this car within this year. We will also make FCEV available in
2004."
Chrysler also presented "ESX-2" which used an electric
motor to lightly assist a diesel-turbo engine.
Big 3's showing of these many eco-friendly cars
apparently was triggered by Prius. The Big 3 thought that
Prius definitely would be acknowledged in the market
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