Toyota targets cumulative sales of five million hybrids by 2015

Teasing information out of an unidentified source often leads to inaccuracies and, occasionally, erroneous reports. For example, let's skim over the recent report regarding Toyota's hybrid production, which was released earlier this week by Japan's Nikkan Kogyo newspaper. Citing an undisclosed source, the Nikkan Kogyo reported that Toyota would fall short of its 2011 hybrid production goals. Rather than reaching a targeted one million hybrid sales, the Nikkan Kogyo reported that Toyota's hybrid production numbers would be much closer to 740,000 units.

Well, Toyota kindly responded to the erroneous reports when it released its five-year environmental action plan Wednesday. Contained within the plan are Toyota's hybrid sales targets and the company is sticking steadfastly to its goal of selling one million hybrids per year starting in 2011. Additionally, the company broke out the calculator and tallied up a cumulative sales number of five million hybrid vehicles from 2011 to 2015. Will this put to rest any claims that Toyota might be scaling back its hybrid dreams?

[Source: Reuters]