There has been rumors revolving around General Motors and Toyota’s hybrid technology for weeks now, and it seems that the rumors are not going away. While initial reports suggested that GM intended to license Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive technology, new reports are suggesting that the automaker may offer a GM-branded version of the Toyota Prius hybrid.
While offering the wildly successful Toyota Prius in their lineup doesn’t seem too ridiculous, the rumors don’t quite make sense according to one Michigan Chevrolet dealer considering that GM has invested heavily in its own proprietary hybrid vehicles and products. The most notable of GM’s upcoming eco-friendly vehicles is of course the Chevrolet Volt.
Interestingly, the new rumors suggesting the possibility of a GM Prius have come around the same time that GM will be leaving the NUMMI partnership, which is its joint manufacturing venture with Toyota. Since the NUMMI partnership no long will be providing the Pontiac Vibe, customers at Used Cars Peoria suggest that perhaps the re-badged Prius was part of the agreement reached following GM’s withdrawal.
With high demand for the third generation Prius, Albany Toyota also points out that Toyota is working through production constraints in order to better satisfy demand. With the NUMMI plant in question, it may become the ideal location to build the popular hybrid vehicle.
A GM-branded Prius may help fill the gap between GM’s existing hybrids and the upcoming Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid. It’s expected that the Volt may be priced a bit higher than that of the Prius, which would make more sense for GM to offer the hybrid within its lineup. With demand for the latest Prius unwavering, stay tuned to see if any of these rumors come to fruition.
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