Cloud over new official Prius cars
The government is awaiting the delivery of 174 of Toyota's newest model of the Prius hybrid car, which reportedly suffers from faulty brakes.
The new vehicles will join the government's fleet of 200 second-generation Prius cars, which are not believed to be experiencing any problems. Of these, more than 90 are used by the police force, about 20 by the Water Supplies Department, about 10 by the Social Welfare Department and the rest by other bureaus, a spokesman for the Logistics Department said.
The government ordered 174 of the 2010 Prius, its electronic tendering system website shows. They are expected to be delivered in phases.
'We have not received reports of unusual problems with these or other Toyota vehicles in the government fleet so far,' the spokesman said.
'We understand from the local dealer of Toyota Prius that Toyota Motor Corp is looking into the complaints in relation to the braking system of third-generation Prius in the US and Japan.'
A spokesman for Crown Motors, the sole distributor for Toyota cars in Hong Kong, said that if the anti-lock braking system software of the new Prius cars needed to be upgraded, this would be done before the cars were delivered to the government.
Toyota is expected to announce this week a recall of 2010 Prius cars sold in Japan, to fix braking problems that reportedly occur when driving over rough or bumpy surfaces.
It is likely that similar action will be taken in the US and other overseas markets.
Since late last month, Prius cars rolling off the assembly line have included the upgraded software.
