Toyota to launch ethanol hybrid Prius in Brazil

TOKYO, July 31 -- (Kyodo) _ Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday it will launch the world's first hybrid vehicle that uses ethanol in Brazil later this year.

The Prius hybrid, with a fuel economy of 32.6 kilometers per liter, will be manufactured in Japan and exported to the country, the automaker said.

Noting that Brazil produces ethanol from sugar cane, Eiichi Tomizawa, Toyota's general manager of the Latin America and Caribbean division, said the combination of ethanol and hybrid vehicles can limit emissions even more than the current hybrid models.

The automaker also seeks to produce and launch in Brazil the Etios series targeting emerging economies later this year, with the annual sales target set at 70,000 units, it said.

The move comes after the leading Japanese automaker released premium Lexus sedans in Brazil in June to enhance its lineup in the growing economy.