Toyota A-BAT will remain a concept... for now

Toyota A-BAT will remain a concept... for now

Filed under: Concept Cars, New York Auto Show, Hybrids/Alternative, Trucks/Pickups, Scion, Toyota

Toyota A-BAT Concept - Click above for a high-res image gallery

Bob Carter, Toyota Motor Sales USA's vice president and general manager, told our man Mike Levine from PickupTrucks.com that the Toyota A-BAT is on indefinite hold. According to Carter, "We have a lot of top priorities right now, and A-BAT isn't one of them."

Although news of the A-BAT's imminent arrival was circulating as early as February, Toyota's decision to put the project on hold doesn't come as a surprise. With auto sales down overall - and pick-ups being hit particularly hard in the last year - the business case for a compact, hybrid truck would be hard to justify.

Originally, it was assumed the A-BAT would be sold as a Scion, but with the "youth" brand's renewed focus on smaller vehicles (ala the Scion iQ concept that debuted at the New York Auto Show), a pick-up would be in stark contrast to the rest of the line-up.

"The market has changed dramatically over the last 12 months." Carter told Pickuptrucks.com, "We always keep reprioritizing - under good economic or recessionary times - what our planning is. [For now, the A-BAT is] on the shelf."


Gallery: Detroit 2008: Toyota A-BAT Concept



[Source: Pickuptrucks]Toyota A-BAT will remain a concept... for now originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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Good thing. That thing is butt-ugly.

Fugly

i puked.

The economy doesn't need it.

amen.

The concept is brilliant. The looks... well its just trying too hard. It reminds me of a girl trying to wear a push-up bra thats like 2 sizes smaller thinking they can make their boobs look bigger or something. I see that same idea in this car. If I lived in Northern California or Oregon, I would probably love to have one of these!

It's a Honda Ridgeline wannabe. And the Ridgeline ain't nothing to write home to Mother about to begin with.

Great choice of analogy.