Despite Prius' slowing sales, its hybrid DNA is thriving: Toyota is spreading the powertrain over lineup

摘要

It may still have one of the highest mpgs on the market, but after 20 years in the U.S., the vaunted Toyota Prius may be running out of gas. Once a leading symbol of environmental activism, the formerly ubiquitous egg-shaped hybrid has seen U.S. sales decline for seven consecutive years. It's suffering another sharp drop this year. Though they won't declare it outright -Toyota rarely gives up on anything, let alone something it invented - executives look like they're starting to consider a North American lineup without a Prius in it, even as the automaker's pioneering hybrid technology continues to blossom under different Toyota and Lexus top hats.