hybrids

As automakers scramble to ensure a reliable supply of parts from Japan, Toyota said it would restart production of Prius and Lexus hybrids next week.

Chinese automaker BYD Co. is committed to selling electric and hybrid vehicles in the United States even after plans to offer an electric crossover to buyers in 2010 didn't materialize, the company's founder and chairman said Monday.

By 2020, J.D. Power and Associates predicts that the global sales of electric vehicles and hybrids will reach 5.2 million.

That may sound impressive, but

Toyota has announced a worldwide recall of 437,000 hybrids, including the popular 2010 Toyota Prius over brake issues.

The company announced that the fix will come via a software "patch" for the antilock braking system.

Toyota plans to recall about 300,000 Prius hybrids worldwide over a brake problem and is likely to notify both the U.S. and Japanese governments Tuesday, news reports said, as a top executive will testify before U.S. lawmakers about defects that have tarnished its reputation for quality and safety.

TOKYO - Toyota said Sunday that it will soon announce plans to deal with braking problems in its prized Prius hybrid amid reports it has decided to issue a recall for the latest model in Japan, a possible new embarrassment for the world's biggest automaker.

Mitsubishi and Nissan hope to leapfrog Toyota and G.M. by focusing on battery-powered cars rather than hybrids like the Prius and the Volt.

Hybrids like Toyota's Prius and plug-in vehicles such as the Chevrolet Volt run on systems other than purely gas-fired engines.

Honda's new president promised to draw inspiration from the legacy of the company's founder to ride out hard times while pushing an aggressive strategy built around hybrid green technology.