Toyota tops 2 million hybrid sales worldwide
2010 Toyota Prius – Click above for high-res image gallery
In the 12 years since the original Prius went on sale, Toyota has sold over two million hybrid vehicles worldwide. Over that time, Toyota has now moved on to the third generation of the iconic Prius and added an array of hybrid drive models to both the Toyota and Lexus lines. Lexus is getting its fourth hybrid model this year with the launch of the HS250h and a new smaller hatchback that may also feature hybrid drive is expected at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
By expanding availability and continuing to develop the gas-electric technology, Toyota has driven down its costs and claims its hybrids are profitable. There are 13 hybrids in the automaker's lineup now and the company has repeatedly stated that it intends to offer hybrid versions of almost every vehicle in its lineup by the end of the next decade. The press release and sales tables are after the jump.
Gallery: Review: 2010 Toyota Prius
Photos copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Toyota]
PRESS RELEASE:
September 4, 2009
Worldwide Sales of TMC Hybrids Top 2 Million Units
Tokyo - TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) announces today that global cumulative sales of its hybrid vehicles have topped the 2-million mark, with more than 2.01 million units sold worldwide as of August 31, 20091.
In 1997 in Japan, TMC launched the "Coaster Hybrid EV" in August and launched the "Prius"-the world's first mass-produced hybrid vehicle-in December. Sales of the Prius began in North America, Europe and elsewhere in 2000. Next came the second-generation Prius in 2003 and the expanded use of TMC's hybrid system to such vehicles as minivans, SUVs and rear-wheel-drive sedans. On May 31, 2007, the global cumulative sales of TMC's hybrid vehicles topped 1 million.
This year, TMC continued to expand its hybrid vehicle lineup, launching the Lexus "RX450h" in April, the third-generation Prius in May and the Lexus "HS250h"-the first dedicated Lexus hybrid model-in July. All three vehicles have been well received and are expected to contribute to the popularization of hybrid vehicles. TMC currently sells 13 hybrid vehicle models in approximately 50 countries and regions around the world, including three commercial vehicle models in Japan. 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 August 31, 2009, TMC calculates that TMC hybrid vehicles2, since 1997, have led to approximately 11 million fewer tons3 of CO2 emissions-considered to be a cause of global warming-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 |
| Overseas | - | - | - | 6.5 | 18.5 | 21.4 | 26.1 |
| Total | 0.3 | 17.7 | 15.3 | 19.0 | 36.9 | 41.3 | 53.3 |
| Cumulative total | - | 18.0 | 33.2 | 52.3 | 89.2 | 130.5 | 183.8 |
 |
|||||||
| Year | '04 | '05 | '06 | '07 | '08 | Jan. – Aug. '09 |
Cumulative Total |
| Japan | 68.7 | 58.5 | 72.4 | 82.0 | 104.4 | 118.3 | 615.8 |
| Overseas | 66.0 | 176.4 | 240.1 | 347.4 | 325.3 | 173.4 | 1,401.1 |
| Total | 134.7 | 234.9 | 312.5 | 429.4 | 429.7 | 291.7 | 2,016.9 |
| Cumulative total | 318.5 | 553.5 | 866.0 | 1,295.4 | 1,725.1 | 2,016.9 | - |
| *1Including Lexus brand; based on TMC data | |||||||
| Cumulative Sales*1 of Main TMC Hybrid Passenger Vehicles | (Unit = 1,000 vehicles) |
| Vehicle name | Prius | Estima Hybrid | Crown Hybrid | Harrier Hybrid | Kluger Hybrid (Highlander Hybrid) |
Camry Hybrid | RX400h/ RX450h |
||
| Japan | 464.7 | 64.3 | 11.4 | 18.8 | 3.4 | - | 3.6 | ||
| Overseas | 954.5 | - | - | - | 104.1 | 167.4 | 142.8 | ||
| Total | 1,429.3 | 64.3 | 11.4 | 18.8 | 107.6 | 167.4 | 146.4 | ||
|
|||||||||
| Vehicle name | GS450h | LS600h/ LS600hL |
HS250h | Crown Mild Hybrid*2 |
Alphard Hybrid*3 | |
Cumulative | ||
| Passenger hybrid vehicles | Commercial hybrid vehicles*4 | ||||||||
| Japan | 4.9 | 10.1 | 0.9 | 6.5 | 24.4 | 613.0 | 2.7 | ||
| Overseas | 14.4 | 7.3 | 0.5 | - | - | 1,401.1 | - | ||
| Total | 19.2 | 17.5 | 1.4 | 6.5 | 24.4 | 2,014.2 | 2.7 | ||
| *1Including Lexus brand, based on TMC data, as of August 31, 2009; *2Consisted of two models: Crown Royal production ceased December 2003, Crown Sedan production ceased April 2008; *3Production ceased April 2008; *4Accumulated figure for Coaster Hybrid EV (production ceased August 2004), Dyna Hybrid, Toyoace Hybrid and Quick Delivery 200 | |||||||||
| TMC Hybrid Vehicle Chronology |
| Year | Month | Milestone |
| 1997 | Mar. | Toyota Hybrid System (THS) 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 (THSII) 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 the 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 the Kentucky Plant, U.S.; Quick Delivery 200 launched (Japan only) | |
| 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 |
| 1 | Based on TMC data |
| 2 | Excluding the Coaster Hybrid EV, Dyna Hybrid, Toyoace Hybrid and Quick Delivery 200 |
| 3 | Number of registered vehicles × distance traveled × fuel costs (actual fuel efficiency in each country) × CO2 conversion factor |
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
polo 6:02PM (9/04/2009)
Remember what that drug addicted perv Limbaugh said?
-Limbaugh Says Hybrids, Government Killing Auto Industry
When it comes to hybrids and fuel efficiencies it’s all a huge conspiracy -- at least according to Rush Limbaugh. Mr. Limbaugh, famous for his controversial opinions on all sorts of issues, sounded off on Tuesday about what he sees as the evils of hybrids.
He launched into his speech, stating, "The Ford and Honda hybrids due out this month are among dozens planned for the coming years as automakers try to meet new fuel-efficiency standards and please politicians overseeing the industry's multibillion-dollar bailout."
While fuel efficiency standards are definitely a hot topic here at DailyTech, there's something strange about his comments -- perhaps the fact that Ford did not accept any bailouts and that Honda, a foreign automaker cannot qualify for them? But never mind that little slip, according to Mr. Limbaugh, environmentalists and the president are in a big conspiracy to sell more efficient cars and "trick" consumers.
However, he says consumers aren't falling for this devious plot. He states, "Nobody's buying 'em (hybrids)! Nobody wants them! The manufacturers are making them in droves to satisfy Obama! Sorry for yelling. Nobody wants them!"
For the record, by nobody Rush Limbaugh actually means "only 1.3 million drivers" -- as that's how many have bought hybrid vehicles since they hit the U.S. market in 1999 with the Honda Insight. However, Limbaugh does have the current market trend right -- industry wide hybrid sales have dropped 44 percent, slightly worse than the general industry drop of 37 percent in total vehicle sales.
Mr. Limbaugh says that Toyota, which recently finished work on the 2010 third-generation Prius, in particular, is among the most sinister of conspirators. He states, "God bless Toyota, but Prius is a loss leader. They'll lose money on the Prius to keep Congress off their back, to have a good brand, to make 'em look like they're socially conscious citizens of the earth, but they're making the freight on the big cars and trucks they sell."
Despite Limbaugh’s claims, the Prius has actually been profitable since 2001.
http://www.dailytech.com/Limbaugh+Says+Hybrids+Government+Killing+Auto+Industry/article14759c.htm
The Prius shows investing in new tech and accepting short-term losses is a very, very profitable long-term strategy. EVs will do for other car companies what the Prius has done for Toyota.
Reply
rob 8:37PM (9/04/2009)
The first million took nearly ten years. Their second million took just over two.
I wonder what kind of ramp rate PHEV's and EV's are going to have?
Reply
lcooljayfooljay 2:48AM (9/07/2009)
Still not full electric
Reply
collectiveego 9:31AM (9/07/2009)
maybe so....but it's a step in the right direction. That will create more demand for fully electric and the costs won't be as high for research and development. At least we're not investing in Excursions.