For the most part, it was more of the same this week in the auto industry. Major auto companies announced their dismal sales figures while the possibility of bankruptcy still hangs ominously over some auto manufacturer’s heads. But that’s not all that happened this week. We did celebrate Earth Day on Wednesday, and predictably, there was a lot of news in auto hybrids throughout the week. So, let’s get the recap started.

• Ford has loss of $1.4 billion in quarter, but beats forecast
  Despite posting a loss of $1.4 billion in the first quarter, Ford says it has enough money to survive the year. The loss was about $1 billion less than what most experts predicted. With G.M. and Chrysler likely to file bankruptcy, could Ford be on track to outlast the competition?
  
  
• G.M. to shut down 13 plants
  G.M.’s decision to shut down 13 assembly plants for nearly 3 months this summer isn’t exactly a surprise. The automaker simply must slash their costs, and shutting down these plants seems to be their best option for the time being. Unfortunately, this means more layoffs, as well as a damaging affect to local businesses and parts suppliers.
  
  
• Toyota is readying a new, cheaper Prius
  If you’ve been following auto news lately, you know about the war between Honda and Toyota for hybrid dominance. Toyota announced its 2010 Prius to be released in May will start out at its normal base price of $22,000. However, the company plans to launch a more basic model later this year that will start at $21,000.
  
  
• Toyota working on RAV4 hybrid?
  In more Toyota green news, the company announced recently it plans to offer a RAV4 hybrid in China “as soon as possible.” Once this happens, it stands to reason that the RAV4 hybrid will find its way over here to the U.S. as well.
  
  
• Ford believes Fusion Hybrid can get 1,000 miles on a single tank of gas
  The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid is set to be put to the ultimate test. Ford believes their new hybrid will be able to get 1,000 miles on a single tank of gas. To prove it, Ford has assembled a team of drivers who will drive for 43 consecutive hours to reach the goal of getting 1,000 miles out of a single tank of gas. The test is set to take place over this upcoming weekend.

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