Toyota buyers face long waits amid hybrid boom

SOARING DEMAND FOR Toyota's gasoline-electric hybrids has left suppliers struggling to keep pace, leading to shortages of parts and months-long waits for car buyers, according to four people familiar with the situation.

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Stocks of hybrids are low at Toyota dealers across major markets, including the U.S., Japan, China and Europe, two of the people told Reuters. The surge in demand presents a challenge for Toyota, the dominant player in hybrids.

But it also vindicates the Japanese automaker's bet on the technology against predictions by some rivals that battery-only electric vehicles would wipe out hybrid demand.