July 10, 2008 - Struggling to keep up with demand for hybrid vehicles, Toyota says its planned production facility in Mississippi will make Priuses instead of Highlander SUVs, Reuters reports (via Nikkei).

Toyota is scrambling to shift production lines as hybrids bump while SUVs slump. Toyota has reported a 12.5% decline in sales of SUVs and pickups. At the same time, sales of its hybrid fell 26% thanks to shortages in inventory.

The production change at Toyota's Missippi plant is expected to delay operations by about 12 months.

The automaker says it also plans to stop SUV production at two of its plants in Indiana.