Toyota pushing hybrid SUV to China despite lack of incentives

Beijing

TOYOTA Motor Corp, the dominant maker of petrol-electric cars, will push forward with its strategy to build and sell hybrid models in China, in spite of the government's unwillingness to subsidise the technology.

The Japanese carmaker wants to bring a hybrid version of its RAV4 sport utility vehicle (SUV) to market in China as soon as possible, said Matsumoto Shinichi, executive vice-president of Toyota's local engineering and manufacturing unit. The company plans to localise the development and production of hybrid SUVs in the world's largest car market, after introducing Corolla and Levin hybrid compact cars late last year.