Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) has celebrated its global hybrid sales surpassing five million units, while announcing plans to introduce 18 new hybrid models by the end of 2015.
Toyota says the total of 5,125,600 hybrid vehicles was reached at the end of March – after it hit the 2.5 million mark back in 2010 – and includes 50,500 in Australia split between Toyota and Lexus.
Based on the efficiency of its hybrid powertrains, the Japanese manufacturer estimates a worldwide saving of approximately 34 million tons of CO2 and 12 billion litres of petrol, compared with similarly sized petrol-powered vehicles.
Despite the Toyota Prius selling more than 2.9 million units globally since its release in Japan in 1997 – claiming the title of the world’s best-selling hybrid vehicle – the locally built Toyota Camry Hybrid has knocked off the Prius as Australia’s top-selling hybrid with 20,087 sales to 18,168.
While Toyota and Lexus currently offer 20 hybrid models, including one plug-in Prius hybrid model, in 80 countries and regions around the world, TMC says it is committed to expanding its hybrid line-up and sales destinations with a plan to introduce 18 new hybrid models between now and the end of 2015.
It’s also expecting its global hybrid sales to reach one million units a year within the same time frame, a goal it achieved for the first time in November last year.
