According to Nikkei Business News, Toyota managing officer Toshio Furutani said he wants to ramp up Lexus’ hybrid strategy and add hybrid models to the entire line-up as soon as possible. He’s quoted as saying Toyota was “considering making the Lexus lineup hybrid-only.”

I’m guessing this is a Japan only decision, since I don’t really see the benefit to making their entire US Lexus line hybrids. What do they gain from that? Lexus drivers aren’t necessarily demanding hybrid vehicles. It just doesn’t make sense. Then again, Mercedes already promised to go petroleum free by 2015, so maybe Toyota is just trying to keep up.

It’s entirely possible they may do it, though. Car makers are having a tough year, and they’re probably willing to try anything if it’ll boost their sales from “dismal” to “break even” at least. This may be how it all starts, you really just need one major car company to commit to going 100% green, and their success will force the market to follow.

So much can happen though, the global economic downturn will probably lower oil prices and thus, gas prices. That would make the green revolution a bit less relevant, right when so many companies have poured so much money into it.