The Toyota Prius hybrid is such a hot-selling car right now that dealers are having trouble keeping them in stock. Many buyers are even on waiting lists for the fuel-efficient car. As a result, Toyota will start making the Prius in the United States to help keep up with demand.
The Prius hybrid will be built at a new assembly plant in Mississippi, which is still under construction. Production of the Prius there is set to begin late 2010.
The automaker also announced it will halt production of the new Tundra pickup truck and Sequoia full-size SUV at both its Indiana and Texas plants starting in August, but will resume production at those plants in November. This is in response to U.S. consumers shifting away from large SUVs and trucks to smaller vehicles that are better on gas.
The Indiana plant will produce the Highlander crossover starting fall of 2009. The Highlander was originally intended to be built in the new Mississippi plant that the Prius will be built at.
Toyota employs more than 43,000 workers in North America, reports USA Today and the AP. The company has 15 North American plants, including two under construction in Mississippi and Ontario.
