Worldwide Toyota Prius sales crack 2-million mark,10-year anniversary celebration planned

The Toyota Prius, launched in Japan in 1997 and introduced in Europe, North America and other markets in 2000, is without a doubt the best-selling hybrid vehicle ever produced. With a market that spans more than 70 countries and regions, the Toyota Motor Company's economical hybrid is the most widely distributed gas-electric in this land (and just about every other one, too).

Selling at a rate of about 400,000 annual units worldwide, the Prius sits head-and-shoulders above any of its so-called competitors. All these sales mean you get to reach milestones now and again. Last month, the Prius reached another one, shattering the two-million sales mark worldwide. By the end of September, sales of the Prius stood at 2,012,000 and counting. You can hold back the applause for now, as the Prius' record-setting run is far from over. Oh, yeah, a congratulatory pat on the back is welcomed as we also celebrate ten years of Prius sales in the U.S. which takes place, appropriately enough, on 10.10.10. Hit the jump for more on the Prius' sales totals and plans for its ten-year anniversary celebration.

Photos copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / AOL

[Source: Toyota]

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Worldwide 'Prius' Sales Top 2-million Mark

Toyota City, Japan, October 7, 2010-Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announces that worldwide cumulative sales of the Toyota "Prius"-the world's first mass-produced gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle-have passed the 2-million mark, with approximately 2,012,000 units sold as of the end of September1. Currently, Prius sales are robust in more than 70 countries and regions, particularly in Japan and North America.

The Prius was launched in Japan in 1997 and began selling in Europe, North America and other markets in 2000. The second generation was released in 2003 and the third generation in 2009.

The third-generation Prius employs the Toyota Hybrid System II (THS II) with a motor speed reduction device. More than 90% of the THS II was redesigned for the third generation, which boasts a world-leading2 fuel efficiency of 38.0 km/L3 and driving performance on a par with that offered by a vehicle with a 2.4-liter conventional engine. Reflecting its name derived from "to go before" in Latin, the Prius, with four selectable driving modes and available advanced features such as a solar powered ventilation system, represents a pioneering, innovative step forward.

Based on sales figures collected up to September 30, 2010, TMC believes that the Prius worldwide has contributed to a reduction in CO2 emissions4 by producing approximately 11 million tons5 less CO2 when compared with gasoline-powered vehicles in the same class and of similar size and driving performance.

As part of its high-priority environment-management policies, Toyota has made a concerted effort to promote and popularize hybrid technology, chiefly through the Prius.

Toyota aims to put this flexible technology to best use, aiming to annually sell at least 1 million hybrid vehicles as early as possible in the 2010s.

Toyota Prius Sales (based on TMC data)

(Unit = 1,000 vehicles)

Year	'97	'98	'99	'00	'01	'02	'03	'04	'05	'06	'07	'08	'09	Jan.- Sep. '10	Cum. Total
Japan	0.3	17.7	15.2	12.5	11.0	6.7	17.0	59.8	43.7	48.6	58.3	73.1	208.9	254.2	826.9
North America	-	-	-	5.8	16.0	20.3	24.9	55.9	109.9	109.0	183.8	163.3	144.3	105.9	939.1
Europe	-	-	-	0.7	2.3	0.8	0.9	8.1	18.8	22.8	32.2	41.5	42.6	35.5	206.1
Other	-	-	-	0.01	0.2	0.2	0.4	1.9	2.9	5.3	7.0	7.7	8.4	5.8	39.7
Total	0.3	17.7	15.2	19.0	29.5	28.1	43.2	125.7	175.2	185.6	281.3	285.7	404.2	401.3	2,011.8

1 Based on TMC data

2 Compared to a conventional mass production gasoline-powered passenger vehicle; as of September 2010, according to a TMC survey

3 Measured using the 10-15 test cycle of the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT); applicable to L Grade vehicles only

4 Considered a cause of global warming

5 Number of registered vehicles × distance traveled × fuel costs (actual fuel efficiency in each country) × CO2 conversion factor


Toyota Announces Passionate Prius Owners Selected to Participate in 10 Years of Toyota Prius Anniversary Celebration

Event to Feature Sustainable Lifestyle Workshops by Wired Magazine and SHFT.com with Keynote Speaker Eric Lloyd Wright Musical Guests M. Ward and DJ Shepard Fairey

TORRANCE, Calif., Oct. 5 -- After weeks of online contest submissions, Southern California's Martin Esquenazi was voted the most passionate Toyota Prius owner by the Toyota Prius Facebook community. Esquenazi will host the official 10 Years of Prius Anniversary Celebration on 10.10.10. The event, taking place in Malibu, California, culminates 10 years of Toyota Prius sales in the United States and provides a glimpse at what's to come for the iconic hybrid vehicle.

To honor this milestone, Toyota created a unique event that showcases and celebrates the Toyota Prius community's commitment to sustainability. Toyota will host a series of discussion workshops, intimate musical performances from M. Ward and DJ set by Shepard Fairey, as well as an exclusive farm-to-table dinner presented by Outstanding In the Field, at a beautiful and rustic 24 acre site. In addition to these experiences, Toyota will offer attendees a preview of the future of Prius, displaying a Prius Plug-in Hybrid vehicle (PHV) and sharing a sneak peek at the highly anticipated "Prius Family" of vehicles in the United States.

Esquenazi and 20 of his closest friends and family members will be on hand to enjoy the day's festivities. Other event attendees include Toyota Prius Experts and enthusiasts from across the country, as well as Toyota Prius supporters from Prius Chat, local Prius clubs and the Toyota Prius Facebook page. All of these passionate Toyota Prius owners and affiliates will come together to fete the vehicle and its philosophy of harmony between man, nature and machine.

Featured workshop presenters include:

• Eric Lloyd Wright, American architect and grandson of the famed Frank Lloyd Wright, will speak about sustainability and architecture. Mr. Wright's focus is on the evolution of Organic Architecture and Green Building design, with a design philosophy rooted in the integration of ecology, social responsibility and beauty. In addition to being responsible for a number of restoration projects to his grandfather's buildings, Mr. Wright is also a Toyota Prius owner.

• WIRED Magazine will host a gadget lab featuring the most innovative green tech products on the market. Editors Daniel Dumas and Steven Leckart will be on hand to discuss the technologies that range from high-utility home and garden devices to personal electronics and quirky gadgets. WIRED Contributing Editor, Joshua Davis, will present on trends in the industry over the next 10 years as part of the event's sustainable lifestyle workshop series. All are proud Toyota Prius owners.

• SHFT.com (www.shft.com) will help curate art, music and sustainable design products to be incorporated into the event. Co-founder Peter Glatzer will speak to the various ways in which the idea of sustainability has impacted our culture in the areas of art, music, new media, product design, architecture and food, as well as produce the gadget lab with WIRED magazine. SHFT.com is a new media platform, offering original video series, shopping and a host of resources that speak to a modern, inspirational, eco-conscious lifestyle. Actor/activist Adrian Grenier and film producer Peter Glatzer, along with sustainability/design expert Lauren Gropper, have built a platform that uses media to streamline the myriad of sustainable choices now available and to highlight the cultural shift taking place.

• Reverb.org (www.reverb.org), a non-profit organization deeply rooted within the music and environmental communities, will work with Prius to help reduce the environmental impact of this event by integrating renewable technologies to fuel the event and engaging local environmental groups to take part in the 10 Years of Toyota Prius Anniversary Celebration. Founded in 2004 by environmentalist Lauren Sullivan and her musician husband Adam Gardner of Guster, Reverb provides greening programs for the music industry at large while conducting grassroots outreach to music fans everywhere. Reverb has recently worked with Jack Johnson, Dave Matthews Band, Sheryl Crow, Arcade Fire, Drake and many others.

• British actor and comedian Robert Llewellyn will discuss the future of transportation and sustainability. Llewellyn hosts a web series called "Carpool" in which he interviews a guest while giving them a lift in his eco-friendly Toyota Prius. The guests are often well known British television personalities such as Ruby Wax, Jonathan Ross, Professor Brian Cox, Sir Patrick Stewart, Stephen Fry, Craig Charles, David Mitchell, Jo Brand, Dame Evelyn Glennie and many more. The series will also air on the UK's Dave TV channel in November 2010.

Musical guest for the evening is M. Ward, one of America's most unique talents. In 2008, he was part of the duo known as She & Him, a project he began with Zooey Deschanel. Their debut album, "Volume One," has enjoyed international success. M. Ward is also renowned for his intricate production work, having helmed not only his own releases but also Jenny Lewis' much-lauded "Rabbit Fur Coat." He has collaborated with some of the world's best musicians including Cat Power, Norah Jones, Conor Oberst and Bright Eyes, Jim James of My Morning Jacket and Neko Case. A son of Southern California, he resides in Portland, Oregon and drives a Toyota Prius.

Shepard Fairey, an American contemporary artist, graphic designer, illustrator and Toyota Prius owner who emerged from the skateboarding scene, will DJ during the celebration. Shepard became more widely known during the 2008 U.S. presidential election, specifically for his Barack Obama "HOPE" poster, and is considered to be one of the most influential street artists. His work is included in collections at The Smithsonian, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. In addition to his successful graphic design career, Fairey also DJ's at many clubs under the name DJ Diabetic and Emcee Insulin, as he has diabetes.

The evening will also include a sit down dinner hosted by Outstanding in the Field (www.outstandinginthefield.com). Founded by chef and artist Jim Denevan in 1999, Outstanding in the Field is a roving culinary experience-literally a restaurant without walls-that creates outdoor meals from local markets. Local farmers, producers, culinary artisans and celebrated chefs from the region will help prepare the meal. Wherever the location, the consistent theme of each dinner is to honor the people whose good work brings nourishment to the table.

For more information on Toyota Prius, please visit the Toyota Prius Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/Prius or www.Toyota.com.

About Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. is the marketing, sales, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and Scion. Established in 1957, TMS markets products and services through a network of nearly 1,500 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealers which sold more than 1.77 million vehicles in 2009. Toyota directly employs nearly 30,000 people in the U.S. and its investment here is currently valued at more than $18 billion.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyota.com, www.lexus.com, www.scion.com or www.toyotanewsroom.com.

About WIRED

WIRED is the first word on how ideas and innovation are changing the world. Each month in the magazine and every day online, the editors deliver a glimpse into the future of business, culture, innovation and science. WIRED, published by Condé Nast, has received three National Magazine Awards for general excellence (2005, 2007 and 2009) and was named Magazine of the Decade by Adweek (2009). In 2009, Wired.com was named Best Magazine Website by Adweek, Best News, Business & Finance Website by MPA Digital, and took home six Webby Awards. WIRED magazine and Wired.com reach more than 14 million readers a month.