New product or service

Toyota Corporation is planning on establishing a new business unit in the automobile industry. Toyota is looking into the hybrid vehicles versus the standard gas vehicles. Toyota understands the need for vehicles; however we are at the mercy of other countries to supply the United States with the amount of gasoline Americans consume. Therefore instead of looking at other ways of obtaining gasoline Toyota has redefined their vehicles to be dependent upon electricity.

The hybrid vehicle concept has been around since November 23, 1905 (Hybrid.com), which indicated an electric motor would augment a gasoline engine. However, the vehicle acceleration was from zero to the 25 miles per hour in just 10 seconds; sounds good for 1905, yet technology has evolved since 1905 (Hybrid.com). There were other types of hybrid vehicles that were developed but it wasn't until 1997 that Toyota's Prius went on sale in Japan (Toyota History). The Prius was the world's first volume production hybrid vehicle (Toyota History).

The Prius is now sold in 20 countries and total over 110,000 units.

        In 2004, Toyota is now offering the newest model of the Prius. The 2004 model has a 408-horsepower hybrid synergy drive that allows you 435 miles on a 13.7-gallon tank (Hybrid.com). Toyota is also looking to offer a hybrid version of its popular midsize sport utility vehicles, which will have the horsepower of a V8 yet deliver the fuel mileage of a compact car.

In 1800, Alessandro Volta arranged zinc and copper discs in a column and invented the battery. 204 years later, Toyota has electrified automotive history with the first high-performance hybrid, named in his honor. The Giugiaro-designed carbon-fiber body seats three people abreast and features "drive-by-wire" controls, allowing you to position the steering wheel and pedals in front of any one of them. And the...