The new hybrid hatchback, which has carbon dioxide emissions starting from 89 grams per km, will be assembled at the Burnaston plant in Derbishire, while its engine will come from the Deeside factory, located in North Wales.
“Auris Hybrid provides a great opportunity for Toyota to increase sales and for TMUK to increase production. Being the first to manufacture this new technology is a source of immense motivation for everyone here at TMUK,” said Tony Walker, Deputy Managing Director of TMUK.
“Although Auris Hybrid is a development of the conventional five-door model already produced at Burnaston, its introduction has required extensive training, new ways of working, new parts, alterations to the production lines major changes to testing procedures. Not the least of the challenges was the fact that although it is built on the same production line as petrol and diesel Auris models, the hybrid takes 11 minutes longer to complete, calling for clever integration of new equipment and specialist team members to ensure no bottlenecks occur,” stated the press release.
The vehicle shares its powertrain with the Prius, so it uses a 1.8 liter petrol-electric drivetrain that will allow it to run in electric-only mode for 2 km at speeds up to 21 mph and reach 62 mph (100 km/h) in under 10 seconds.
The new Toyota Auris Hybrid is scheduled to enter the UK and European markets on July 1st.
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