Toyota Worldwide Hybrid Sales Top 500,000 Units

25 November 2005

Tokyo — TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) announced today that global cumulative sales of Toyota hybrid vehicles have topped the 500,000 mark, with approximately 513,000 units sold worldwide by the end of October this year*.

TMC launched the Prius — the world’s first mass-produced hybrid vehicle — in Japan in 1997 and began selling it in North America, Europe and elsewhere in 2000. In 2001, it added in Japan the Estima Hybrid minivan, the Crown luxury sedan mild hybrid and the Dyna light-duty hybrid truck.

Aiming to achieve a fusion of environmental performance and power, in 2003, TMC introduced in the second-generation Prius a new-generation hybrid system based on the concept of Hybrid Synergy Drive. In 2005, it expanded use of this system to power-demanding SUVs in the form of the Lexus RX400h (“Harrier Hybrid” in Japan) and the Highlander Hybrid (“Kluger Hybrid” in Japan).

Not stopping there, TMC is preparing a Hybrid Synergy Drive-based hybrid system for rear-wheel drive passenger vehicles and expects to introduce it on the Lexus GS450h, scheduled for launch in spring 2006.

TMC has positioned hybrid technology as its key technology in addressing environmental issues in the 21st century, and it intends to enhance its hybrid line-up while encouraging the widespread use of hybrid technology.

Cumulative Toyota Hybrid Vehicle Sales* (One unit = one vehicle; figures rounded to the nearest hundred)

 

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

Jan – Oct

Cumulative total

Japan

300

17,700

15,300

12,500

18,500

19,900

27,200

68,700

49,400

229,500

Overseas

6,500

18,400

21,400

26,100

66,000

145,400

283,800

Total

300

17,700

15,300

19,000

36,900

41,300

53,300

134,700

194,800

513,300

Sales of Main Toyota Hybrid Models*    (One unit = one vehicle; figures rounded to the nearest hundred)

 

Prius

Estima Hybrid

Crown w/ mild hybrid system

Harrier Hybrid

Kluger Hybrid

Start of sales in Japan

December 1997

June 2001

August 2001

March 2005

March 2005

Japan

177,600

26,900

5,900

4,100

2,100

Overseas

249,200

20,600

14,000

Total

426,800

26,900

5,900

24,700

16,100

*Based on TMC data

ENDS

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Toyota Worldwide Hybrid Sales Top 500,000 Units

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