Toyota has announced that its global hybrid vehicle sales have totaled four million units through April 2012.
Toyota has announced that its global hybrid vehicle sales have totaled four million units through April 2012. Toyota’s first hybrid, the Prius went on sale in Japan in 1997 and in the U.S. in 2000. 15 years later, Toyota now sells 18 hybrid models in 80 countries and regions around the world. So far this year hybrids account for 15 percent of Toyota’s global vehicle sales.
In the U.S. alone Toyota has sold 1.5 million hybrids, which accounts for 65 percent of all hybrid vehicles sold in the region. The Prius, which now consists of four models, comprises half of all hybrids on the road in the U.S. with sales totaling 1.2 million units through April 2012.
“All of us at Toyota would like to sincerely thank our customers, who have made Prius the best-selling hybrid in the industry,” said Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager, Toyota Division. “While we’re proud of this accomplishment, we are not stopping here as hybrids will continue to be a core technology for Toyota.”