Toyota Camry Hybird 2.5V. The Price Will Be RM180,000?

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Originally planned for late-2014, the launch of the locally-assembled (CKD) Toyota Camry Hybrid will be delayed to 2015, sources say.

As the Camry is due for a facelift next year, the revelation also implies that the forthcoming Camry Hybrid will be wear the new facelift model's styling. The new Toyota Camry facelift was recently previewed at last month's 2014 Moscow Auto Show.

Last year, UMW Toyota Motor's Deputy Chairman, Takashi Hibi said the company plans to pursue local-assembly of the Camry Hybrid, adding that it will be priced slightly above the Camry 2.5V

"If successful, a locally assembled Camry Hybrid will only be slightly more expensive than the Camry 2.5V," said Hibi during the launch of the Lexus ES last year.

Currently, the Camry 2.5V sells for RM180,934 (on-the-road with insurance).

However, the new Camry may see a slight upwards revision in its price, so we expect the Camry Hybrid to be priced closer to the RM200,000 mark.

The Camry Hybrid is a full-hybrid vehicle, powered by a 2.5-litre Atkinson petrol engine paired to an E-CVT planetary gear set transmission. The engine alone produces 160 hp, but when combined with Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive it produces a total output of 205 hp.

Due to packaging constraints from accommodating additional hybrid components, the Camry Hybrid is 120 kg heavier than a standard Camry and has a fuel tank that's five litres smaller, at 65-litres.

Claimed fuel consumption is around 5.1-litres/100 km.

Inside, the main difference compared to a regular Camry is the additional B-mode (for engine braking when driving downhill) on the Camry Hybrid's gear shift lever, and a slightly different instrument cluster that now includes an 'Energy Monitor' function on the Multi-information (MID) display.

NAP 2014's Duty Exception Period For CKD Hybrid V

The viability of the Camry Hybrid CKD project hinges on the National Automotive Policy (NAP) 2014's provision to exempt locally-assembled hybrid vehicles (no limit on engine capacity) from import and excise duties. It replaces the previous provision from Budget 2012 to exempt fully-imported hybrid vehicles below 2,000cc from import and excise duties.

However under NAP 2014, the duty exemption period of CKD hybrid vehicles expires on 31-December 2015. Considering that the new Camry will only be launched early next year, there will only be less than nine or ten months left into the 2015 calendar year before the duty exemption period expires.

Clearly the duty exemption period is too short for UMW Toyota to recoup on its investment into the project.

Considering that NAP 2014 was only announced in January 2014, after nearly two years of delay, it is quite unrealistic to expect car companies to respond within this year, making the 31-December 2015 expiry date rather silly.

The events that are unfolding today have been predicted by a general manager for a European brand late last year.

"2014 is almost gone", he told LiveLifeDrive.com in December 2013, referring to the plans made for 2014.

"Everyone's done with their budgets. We need at least six to eight months in ordering lead time," he added, explaining that even fully-imported models need lead time for the product planners to plan for a suitable specifications package and to work out the costing with their manufacturing principals.

Planning for locally-assembled models require an even longer lead time as CKD kits need to prepared in accordance to the processes and capabilities of the assembling country's plant.