Toyota has announced a monthly production increase of the Prius gas-electric hybrid sedan from approximately 10,000 units per month to 15,000. Demand has been exceeding supply for the newly redesigned 2004 model, resulting in waiting lists for customers.

"When the all-new second-generation Prius was launched in mid-October of last year, we had an annual sales plan of about 36,000 units," said Don Esmond of Toyota. "Two months later, in December 2003, we announced a 31-percent increase in our sales plan to 47,000 units annually, and promised that if we needed more, we would build more. Clearly, the extraordinary response to Prius took us by surprise. With demand far-outstripping supply, customers have been forced to wait many months for delivery. Our announcement to increase production by fifty percent, should prove to our dealers and our customers that we are good on our word."