Toyota’s Prius hybrid is the best-selling gas-electric vehicle worldwide but in China, it’s almost as rare as the endangered giant panda.<\/p>\n
Almost a decade since Toyota began making the Prius in the country, the automaker has made little headway in persuading consumers in the world’s largest vehicle market to buy hybrids.<\/p>\n
The main reason is price: the Prius costs as much as an entry-level Audi because of taxes on imported components and the lack of government subsidies.<\/p>\n
That’s contributed to Toyota’s also-ran status in China, where it ranks sixth in a market led by Volkswagen AG and General Motors despite being the world’s No. 1 automaker by sales.<\/p>\n