2010 Toyota Prius – Click above for high-res image gallery
In the 12 years since the original Prius went on sale, Toyota has sold over two million hybrid vehicles worldwide. Over that time, Toyota has now moved on to the third generation of the iconic Prius and added an array of hybrid drive models to both the Toyota and Lexus lines. Lexus is getting its fourth hybrid model this year with the launch of the HS250h and a new smaller hatchback that may also feature hybrid drive is expected at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
By expanding availability and continuing to develop the gas-electric technology, Toyota has driven down its costs and claims its hybrids are profitable. There are 13 hybrids in the automaker's lineup now and the company has repeatedly stated that it intends to offer hybrid versions of almost every vehicle in its lineup by the end of the next decade. The press release and sales tables are after the jump.
Photos copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Toyota]
PRESS RELEASE:
September 4, 2009
Worldwide Sales of TMC Hybrids Top 2 Million Units
Tokyo - TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) announces today that global cumulative sales of its hybrid vehicles have topped the 2-million mark, with more than 2.01 million units sold worldwide as of August 31, 20091.
In 1997 in Japan, TMC launched the "Coaster Hybrid EV" in August and launched the "Prius"-the world's first mass-produced hybrid vehicle-in December. Sales of the Prius began in North America, Europe and elsewhere in 2000. Next came the second-generation Prius in 2003 and the expanded use of TMC's hybrid system to such vehicles as minivans, SUVs and rear-wheel-drive sedans. On May 31, 2007, the global cumulative sales of TMC's hybrid vehicles topped 1 million.
This year, TMC continued to expand its hybrid vehicle lineup, launching the Lexus "RX450h" in April, the third-generation Prius in May and the Lexus "HS250h"-the first dedicated Lexus hybrid model-in July. All three vehicles have been well received and are expected to contribute to the popularization of hybrid vehicles. TMC currently sells 13 hybrid vehicle models in approximately 50 countries and regions around the world, including three commercial vehicle models in Japan. TMC is committed to augmenting this lineup even further and increasing the number of countries and regions in which it sells hybrid vehicles.
As of August 31, 2009, TMC calculates that TMC hybrid vehicles2, since 1997, have led to approximately 11 million fewer tons3 of CO2 emissions-considered to be a cause of global warming-than would have been emitted by gasoline-powered vehicles of similar size and driving performance.
Positioning response to environmental issues as a management priority, TMC has endeavored to achieve the widespread use of hybrid vehicles. TMC's stance is to further promote the use of hybrid vehicles, through such measures as aiming to sell 1 million hybrid vehicles a year as early as possible in the 2010s, and introducing hybrid models in all vehicle series in its lineup as early as possible in the 2020s.
| TMC Hybrid Vehicle Sales*1 | (Unit = 1,000 vehicles) |
| Year | '97 | '98 | '99 | '00 | '01 | '02 | '03 |
| Japan | 0.3 | 17.7 | 15.3 | 12.5 | 18.5 | 20.0 | 27.2 |
| Overseas | - | - | - | 6.5 | 18.5 | 21.4 | 26.1 |
| Total | 0.3 | 17.7 | 15.3 | 19.0 | 36.9 | 41.3 | 53.3 |
| Cumulative total | - | 18.0 | 33.2 | 52.3 | 89.2 | 130.5 | 183.8 |
| Year | '04 | '05 | '06 | '07 | '08 | Jan. – Aug. '09 |
Cumulative Total |
| Japan | 68.7 | 58.5 | 72.4 | 82.0 | 104.4 | 118.3 | 615.8 |
| Overseas | 66.0 | 176.4 | 240.1 | 347.4 | 325.3 | 173.4 | 1,401.1 |
| Total | 134.7 | 234.9 | 312.5 | 429.4 | 429.7 | 291.7 | 2,016.9 |
| Cumulative total | 318.5 | 553.5 | 866.0 | 1,295.4 | 1,725.1 | 2,016.9 | - |
| *1Including Lexus brand; based on TMC data | |||||||
| Cumulative Sales*1 of Main TMC Hybrid Passenger Vehicles | (Unit = 1,000 vehicles) |
| Vehicle name | Prius | Estima Hybrid | Crown Hybrid | Harrier Hybrid | Kluger Hybrid (Highlander Hybrid) |
Camry Hybrid | RX400h/ RX450h |
||
| Japan | 464.7 | 64.3 | 11.4 | 18.8 | 3.4 | - | 3.6 | ||
| Overseas | 954.5 | - | - | - | 104.1 | 167.4 | 142.8 | ||
| Total | 1,429.3 | 64.3 | 11.4 | 18.8 | 107.6 | 167.4 | 146.4 | ||
| Vehicle name | GS450h | LS600h/ LS600hL |
HS250h | Crown Mild Hybrid*2 |
Alphard Hybrid*3 | Cumulative | |||
| Passenger hybrid vehicles | Commercial hybrid vehicles*4 | ||||||||
| Japan | 4.9 | 10.1 | 0.9 | 6.5 | 24.4 | 613.0 | 2.7 | ||
| Overseas | 14.4 | 7.3 | 0.5 | - | - | 1,401.1 | - | ||
| Total | 19.2 | 17.5 | 1.4 | 6.5 | 24.4 | 2,014.2 | 2.7 | ||
| *1Including Lexus brand, based on TMC data, as of August 31, 2009; *2Consisted of two models: Crown Royal production ceased December 2003, Crown Sedan production ceased April 2008; *3Production ceased April 2008; *4Accumulated figure for Coaster Hybrid EV (production ceased August 2004), Dyna Hybrid, Toyoace Hybrid and Quick Delivery 200 | |||||||||
| TMC Hybrid Vehicle Chronology |
| Year | Month | Milestone |
| 1997 | Mar. | Toyota Hybrid System (THS) unveiled |
| Aug. | Coaster Hybrid EV launched (Japan only) | |
| Dec. | Prius launched | |
| 2000 | Nov. | Cumulative Prius sales top 50,000 vehicles |
| 2001 | Jun. | Estima Hybrid launched (Japan only) |
| Aug. | Crown Mild Hybrid launched (Japan only) | |
| 2002 | Mar. | Cumulative hybrid vehicle sales top 100,000 mark |
| Aug. | Cumulative Prius sales top 100,000 vehicles | |
| 2003 | Apr. | Toyota Hybrid System II (THSII) unveiled |
| Jul. | Alphard Hybrid launched (Japan only) | |
| Sep. | Second-generation Prius launched | |
| Nov. | Dyna Hybrid and Toyoace Hybrid launched (Japan only) | |
| 2005 | Mar. | Harrier Hybrid (RX400h outside Japan) and Kluger Hybrid (Highlander Hybrid) launched |
| Oct. | Cumulative hybrid vehicle sales top 500,000 mark | |
| Dec. | Prius production commenced at the Changchun Plant, China | |
| 2006 | Mar. | GS450h launched in Japan |
| Apr. | Cumulative Prius sales top 500,000 vehicles | |
| May | Camry Hybrid launched (for sale outside Japan) | |
| Jun. | Redesigned Estima Hybrid launched (Japan only) | |
| Oct. | Camry Hybrid production commenced at the Kentucky Plant, U.S.; Quick Delivery 200 launched (Japan only) | |
| 2007 | May | Cumulative hybrid vehicle sales top 1-million mark; LS600h/LS600hL launched |
| 2008 | Feb. | Crown Hybrid unveiled (launched in April; Japan only) |
| May | Cumulative Prius sales top 1 million vehicles | |
| 2009 | Jan. | RX450h unveiled (launched in April) |
| May | Third-generation Prius launched | |
| Jul. | Camry Hybrid production commenced at the Gateway Plant, Thailand; HS250h launched | |
| Aug. | Cumulative hybrid vehicle sales top 2-million mark |
| 1 | Based on TMC data |
| 2 | Excluding the Coaster Hybrid EV, Dyna Hybrid, Toyoace Hybrid and Quick Delivery 200 |
| 3 | Number of registered vehicles × distance traveled × fuel costs (actual fuel efficiency in each country) × CO2 conversion factor |
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