Toyota has pushed back the release date for the Prius A 05/16/2011
Although the Toyota Prius Alpha model was already garnering a lot of preorders, the company has decided to push back the delivery date due to the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
MarketWatch is reporting that Toyota Motor Corporation made the announcement that delivery to consumers could be as late as last April, as the automaker is still in recovery mode from the disaster that fractured the auto industry.
The Associated Press reports that the car's launch was originally supposed to be toward the end of last month, but following the earthquake the company decided to push it back. North American consumers will have the option to preorder a model that seats five. However, the car company is releasing a van version that will seat seven people. This version will only be offered in Europe.
The Prius Alpha, otherwise known as the Prius a, is expected to be a revamp of the popular hybrid vehicle, which helped shoot Toyota's sales through the roof as it was the first of its kind in the mass market.