Toyota A-BAT Production on the Shelf for Now
No matter how the Toyota A-BAT concept caught the spotlight during the 2008 Detroit Motor Show, the hybrid pickup will be remaining a concept vehicle for 
now according to Toyota insiders.
It was a good bet for a production vehicle but Toyota executives point out that they have a lot of priorities at the moment and building the A-BAT is not on top of their list.
The A-BAT was close to reality when the Japanese car manufacturer asked for bids from potential suppliers for the hybrid version and four cylinder variant of the truck. The light never went green though for the bulky futuristic vehicle.
The decision of the company may have been influenced by the dismal performance of their two pickups which have suffered from the drop in housing and construction. Toyota only sold 18349 units of the Tundra which is a 55% drop in 1Q sales. The Tacoma was also a laggard performer in the market with first quarter sales dropping as much as 37% or translating to only 24937 units sold.
Toyota executives assure the public that they are committed to meet the demand for the Tundra although the sales are greatly dependent on the construction industry.