Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announced that cumulative sales in Japan of its hybrid vehicles have topped the 1 million mark, while more than 2.68 million units have been sold globally as of July 31, 20101.
In August 1997 in Japan, TMC launched its first hybrid vehicle, the Toyota "Coaster Hybrid EV" minibus. In December of the same year, TMC launched the Toyota "Prius" — the world's first mass-produced hybrid vehicle. The use of the Toyota hybrid system was subsequently expanded to such vehicles as minivans, SUVs and rear-wheel-drive sedans. In 2009, TMC broadened its range of hybrid vehicles further with the launch of the third-generation Prius, as well as two other dedicated hybrid vehicles, the Lexus "HS250h" and the Toyota "Sai". Currently, nine TMC-produced hybrid passenger vehicle models and three hybrid commercial vehicle models are sold in Japan.
Outside Japan, eight hybrid passenger vehicle models are sold in approximately 80 countries and regions, with cumulative overseas sales having topped 1.68 million units. 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 July 31, 2010, TMC calculates that TMC hybrid vehicles2, since 1997, have led to approximately 4 million fewer tons3 of CO2 emissions — considered to be a cause of global warming — in Japan, and approximately 15 million fewer tons globally, 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 | |||
| Cum. total | 0.3 | 18.0 | 33.2 | 45.8 | 64.2 | 84.2 | 111.4 | |||
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| Overseas | – | – | – | 6.5 | 18.5 | 21.4 | 26.1 | |||
| Cum. total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.5 | 25.0 | 46.3 | 72.5 | |||
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| Global | 0.3 | 17.7 | 15.3 | 19.0 | 36.9 | 41.3 | 53.3 | |||
| Cum. total | – | 18.0 | 33.2 | 52.3 | 89.2 | 130.5 | 183.8 | |||
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| Year | ’04 | ’05 | ’06 | ’07 | ’08 | ’09 |
Jan. –Jul. '10 |
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| Japan | 68.7 | 58.5 | 72.4 | 82.0 | 104.4 | 251.1 | 258.9 | |||
| Cum. total | 180.1 | 238.6 | 311.0 | 393.0 | 497.4 | 748.6 | 1,007.4 | |||
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| Overseas | 66.0 | 176.4 | 240.1 | 347.5 | 325.3 | 279.0 | 170.8 | |||
| Cum. total | 138.4 | 314.8 | 554.9 | 902.4 | 1,227.7 | 1,506.7 | 1,677.4 | |||
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| Global | 134.7 | 234.9 | 312.5 | 429.4 | 429.7 | 530.1 | 429.7 | |||
| Cum. total | 318.5 | 553.5 | 866.0 | 1,295.4 | 1,725.1 | 2,255.2 | 2,684.9 | |||
| *1Including Lexus brand; based on TMC data | ||||||||||
| TMC Hybrid Vehicle Chronology |
| Year | Month | Milestone |
| 1997 | Mar. | Toyota Hybrid System 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 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 SFTM's 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 TMMK's plant in the U.S.; Quick Delivery 200 launched (Japan only) |
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| 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 | |
| Oct. | Sai unveiled (launched in December, Japan only) | |
| Dec. | Camry Hybrid production commenced at the TMCA's Altona Plant, Australia | |
| 2010 | Apr. | Camry Hybrid production commenced at the GTMC's plant in China |
| Jun. | Auris Hybrid production commenced at the TMUK's Burnaston Plant, UK; Auris Hybrid launched (for sale outside Japan) | |
| Jul. | Cumulative sales in Japan of TMC hybrids top 1 million units |
1Based on TMC data
2Excluding the Coaster Hybrid EV, "Dyna Hybrid", "Toyoace Hybrid" and "Quick Delivery 200"
3Number of registered vehicles × distance traveled × fuel costs (official fuel-efficiency rating in each country or region) × CO2 conversion factor
