After Honda its the turn of the other Japanese giant to go the hybrid way. Toyota Motor corp plans to introduce its hybrid sedan Prius in the Indian market as an answer to growing concerns over high fuel prices and tougher emission norms.

We are preparing to bring Prius into the Indian market though we have not set any timeline yet,” Toyota Kirloskar Motor Ltd vice-chairman Vikram Kirloskar told in an interview.

“In the run-up, we have to develop skills to service it and make spare parts available across the country,” he added.

Toyota Prius is especially popular with the hollywood brigade and the 2008 model has been rated the most fuel efficient midsize car in the USA. The car is sold on over 40 countries all over the world and is also the third least carbon dioxide emitting vehicle in Britain.

The next generation of Toyota Prius is already under works and might even feature solar panels for some of the electrical functions.

Toyota Prius also has the distinction of being the first mass produced hybrid in the world. The car went on sale in Japan, as early as 1997 and in other markets in 2000. Toyota has sold over a million hybrid Prius’s already.