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 CO
2and 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.
