Business News Toyota | Page 13

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conversion kits for the Prius would be installed by six dealers, including four Toyota dealerships: Westboro Toyota in Boston, Fitzgerald Toyota in Washington D.C., Toyota of Hollywood in Los Angeles, and Madison Wisconsin-based Smart Motors.



All-electric vehicles

Toyota is speeding up the development of vehicles that run only on electricity with the aim of mass-producing them in the early part of the next decade. Road tests for the current prototype, called "e-com", had ended in 2006.

In May 2010, Toyota launched a collaboration with Tesla Motors to create electric vehicles. Toyota agreed to purchase US$50 million of Tesla common stock subsequent to the closing of Tesla's planned initial public offering. Tesla will buy Toyota's recently closed NUMMI factory for US$42 million.



Pickup trucks

The Tundra is a full-size pickup truck sold by Toyota that originally went into production in 1999 for the 2000 US model year. As of early 2010, the Tundra has captured 16 percent of the full-size half-ton market in the US.

The all new Tundra is assembled in San Antonio, Texas, US, US. Toyota Motor Corporation assembled around 150,000 Standard and Double Cabs, and only 70,000 Crew Max's in 2007.

In addition to the Tundra, Toyota also produces the Tacoma, with a smaller body and smaller engine than its bigger brother. The Tacoma is also produced at

the company's San Antonio facility.

Outside the United States, Toyota produces the Hilux in Standard and double cab, gasoline and diesel engine, 2WD and 4WD versions. The BBC's Top Gear TV show featured 2 episodes of a Hilux that was deemed "virtually indestructible".



Motorsport

Toyota has been involved in many global motorsports series. They also represent their Lexus brand in other sports car racing categories. Toyota also makes engines and other auto parts for other Japanese motorsports including formula Nippon, Super GT, formula 3 and formula Toyota series. Toyota also runs a driver development programme known as TDP (Toyota Young Drivers Program) which they made for funding and educating future Japanese motorsports talent. Toyota