In 1997, Toyota Motor Corporation introduced the Prius in Japan and started selling it worldwide in 2001. The Prius, the first hybrid car to be sold in the United States, can run off both a gasoline engine and a battery, and the momentum of the car charges the battery. Hybrid cars are more energy efficient than cars with just a gasoline engine; the Prius, for example, can get 45 to 55 miles per gallon. The Prius was a big success, and within a few years, other manufacturers began introducing hybrid versions of some of their cars.

The design and efficient production of the Prius involved not only some impressive engineering but a lot of economics as well. Can you think of all the factors you will consider as a Board member of Toyota?