Toyota to Sell Chargers from 2012

If we are to be as malicious as we can be, than we could safely say that Toyota has failed miserably in designing its cars. Miserably not as in impossible to sell or drive, but miserably as in a major headache for the auto maker in the past two years, when Toyota probably recalled more models than it actually sold.

Luckily, the advent of the electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles has opened a new market for Toyota. Home chargers. Fuel stations for EVs, if you like, which Toyota plans to sell starting next year.

According to a report by Nikkei, Toyota will begin producing and selling its own home chargers next year, in support of the plug-in version of the Prius. Plans are to sell 20,000 to 30,000 units in the first year, at an average price of around 200,000 yen ($2,405), installation included.

Until then, however, Toyota will have to survive its own mistakes. After the auto maker announced the largest recall in the history of motoring at the beginning of 2010, 2011 hasn't started any better either.

This week, Toyota revealed that basically the same problem that plagued it last year has come back to manifest itself in an extra 2.17 million vehicles. All types of vehicles, from 2003 Toyota 4Runners to 2010 Toyota RAV4 are being recalled to fix a potential pedal entrapment issue, caused by the same renegade floor mat on the driver's side of the car.

Undoubtedly, the recall is just a way for Toyota to play it after last year's scandal. Yet, because of that scandal, the new recall might spell even more problems for the car maker.