Patriotic consumers bent on "buying American" whatever the cost are about to find that life has become more complicated. According to numerous reports over the past few weeks, two Japanese automakers are about to make major investments in producing hybrid gas-electric automobiles . in America.
First comes Toyota
Toyota has announced that beginning late next year, its Georgetown, Ky., plant will start production on a hybrid version of its popular Camry sedan. Toyota intends to invest as much as $10 million to upgrade the plant for production of hybrids, after which it expects to be able to roll out nearly 50,000 hybrid Camrys per year.
Not to be outdone, Toyota rival Nissan
As with Toyota, Nissan will be importing many of the crucial hybrid components, most notably the batteries, from Japan. As we've already discussed, two of the prime suppliers of these batteries are Japan's Sanyo
Left out in the cold is Honda
With all their growth -- both prospective and ongoing -- Japan's automakers are priced for success relative to their U.S. rivals. Read all about it in "Pick a Car Company. Any Car Company."
Fool contributor Rich Smith has no position in any of the companies mentioned in this article.