Toyota’s first hybrid model – the Prius – went on sale in 1997 in Japan. It took 14 years for the company to see a cumulative total of three million hybrids (a mark reached in March 2011). Today, Toyota announced that its global sales figures of all of its gas-electric models (and there are a lot of them now, including ones we’ve barely heard of here in the US, like the Crown Majesta or the Harrier Hybrid) have reached six million. Toyota calculates that all those hybrids have saved 41 million tons of CO2 emissions from entering the atmosphere.
Toyota’s ever-increasing hybrid sales pace means the company sold as many in the last three years as it did in the first fourteen. As you can see in our chart, the trendline shows that we’ll hit the next-million mark in short order. In fact, Toyota says that it sold a million hybrids in the last nine months, the shortest time it has ever taken the automaker to sell that many hybrids. Part of the reason is that there are 24 hybrid Toyota and Lexus models available around the world, and Toyota says another 15 will be coming in the next two years. Anyone want to guess when Toyota will hit seven million? August? 
Toyota City, Japan, January 15, 2014-Toyota Motor Corporation announces that cumulative global sales of its hybrid vehicles topped the 6 million unit mark as of December 31, 2013, reaching 6.072 million units1. The latest million-unit milestone was achieved in the fastest time yet for Toyota, taking just nine months.
Helping mitigate the environmental effects of vehicles is a priority at Toyota. Based on its belief that environment-friendly vehicles can only truly have a positive impact if they are widely used, Toyota has endeavored to encourage the mass-market adoption of hybrid vehicles.
As of this month, Toyota sells 24 hybrid passenger car models and one plug-in hybrid model in approximately 80 countries and regions around the world. Furthermore, within the next two years, Toyota will launch a total of 15 new hybrid vehicles worldwide, including the new “Harrier Hybrid” in Japan on January 15 and the new “Highlander Hybrid” in the United States in the near future. Toyota will continue augmenting its product lineup even further and increasing the number of countries and regions where it sells hybrid vehicles.
Toyota calculates that as of December 31, 2013, Toyota hybrid vehicles2 have resulted in approximately 41 million fewer tons3 of CO2 emissions-believed to be a cause of global warming-than would have been emitted by gasoline-powered vehicles of similar size and driving performance. Toyota also estimates that its hybrid vehicles have saved approximately 15 million kiloliters of gasoline compared to the amount used by gasoline-powered vehicles of similar size.
In August 1997 in Japan, Toyota launched the “Coaster Hybrid EV” and launched the “Prius”-the world’s first mass-produced hybrid passenger vehicle-in December. Since then, Toyota hybrid vehicles have received tremendous support from consumers around the world.
Toyota has positioned hybrid technologies that enable the use of different fuel combinations, including the component technologies necessary for development of various environment-friendly cars, as core environmental technologies for the twenty-first century. Toyota therefore plans to continue working to raise performance, reduce costs, and expand its product lineup-including that of non-hybrid environment-friendly vehicles-to create vehicles that are popular with consumers.
1Including plug-in hybrid vehicles; Toyota data
2Excluding the Coaster Hybrid EV and Quick Delivery 200
3Number of registered vehicles × distance traveled × fuel efficiency (actual fuel efficiency in each country) × CO2 conversion factor
Toyota Hybrid Vehicle Sales
Based on TMC data (Unit = 1,000 vehicles)
| Global | Japan | North America | Europe | ||||
| 1997 | 0.3 | 0.3 | |||||
| 1998 | 17.6 | 17.6 | |||||
| 1999 | 15.2 | 15.2 | |||||
| 2000 | 19 | 12.5 | 5.7 | 0.7 | |||
| 2001 | 36.9 | 18.4 | 15.9 | 2.3 | |||
| 2002 | 41.3 | 19.9 | 20.3 | 0.8 | |||
| 2003 | 53.2 | 27.1 | 24.8 | 0.8 | |||
| 2004 | 134.6 | 68.7 | 55.9 | 8.1 | |||
| 2005 | 234.9 | 58.5 | 149.9 | 23.3 | |||
| 2006 | 312.5 | 72.4 | 197.6 | 36 | |||
| 2007 | 429.4 | 81.9 | 287.8 | 48.9 | |||
| 2008 | 429.7 | 104.4 | 254.9 | 57.8 | |||
| 2009 | 530.1 | 251.1 | 205.2 | 54.7 | |||
| 2010 | 690.1 | 392.2 | 195.8 | 70.1 | |||
| 2011 | 628.9 | 316.3 | 185.1 | 82.8 | |||
| 2012 | 1219 | 678 | 344.6 | 106.8 | |||
| 2013 | 1279.4 | 679.1 | 358.1 | 153 | |||
| Total | 6072.9 | 2814.2 | 2302.4 | 646.6 | |||
*Global figures contain sales from markets other than Japan, North America and Europe
Cumulative Sales of TMC Hybrid Passenger Vehicles*1
(Unit = 1,000 vehicles)
| Global | Japan | North America | Europe | |
| Prius | 3166.6 | 1407.6 | 1404.8 | 268.6 |
| Prius α, Prius v, Prius + | 405.1 | 289 | 91.4 | 21.7 |
| Aqua, Prius c | 633.6 | 529.3 | 83 | |
| Camry Hybrid | 418.7 | 35.8 | 294.4 | |
| Alphard Hybrid*2 | 44.6 | 43.3 | ||
| Auris Hybrid | 128 | 124.2 | ||
| Yaris Hybrid | 75.4 | 73.4 | ||
| Avalon Hybrid | 17.2 | 17.2 | ||
| Highlander Hybrid, Kluger Hybrid*3 | 138.3 | 3.4 | 133.1 | |
| Vellfire Hybrid | 17.1 | 17.1 | ||
| Sai | 71 | 71 | ||
| Estima Hybrid | 105 | 105 | ||
| Crown Hybrid | 77.9 | 77.9 | ||
| Harrier Hybrid | 23.7 | 23.7 | ||
| Crown Mild Hybrid*4 | 6.4 | 6.4 | ||
| Crown Majesta (hybrid only) | 3 | 3 | ||
| Corolla Axio Hybrid | 8.7 | 8.7 | ||
| Corolla Fielder Hybrid | 21.3 | 21.3 | ||
| Lexus LS 600h/LS 600hL | 35.3 | 23.5 | 2.8 | 4.3 |
| Lexus GS 450h/GS 300h | 38.7 | 14.2 | 6.8 | 12.4 |
| Lexus RX 400h/RX 450h | 288.6 | 27.4 | 145.3 | 86 |
| Lexus HS 250h | 61.6 | 39.3 | 22.3 | |
| Lexus CT 200h | 169 | 37.8 | 51 | 41.3 |
| Lexus ES 300h | 47 | 24.6 | 0.2 | |
| Lexus IS 300h | 16.7 | 8.7 | 5.9 |
*1Global figures contain sales from markets other than Japan, North America and Europe; Figures as of December 31, 2013 and based on Toyota data; *2Production ceased in 2008 and production of a new model started in 2011; *3Kluger Hybrid (for the Japanese market) production ceased in 2007; *4Crown Royal production ceased in 2003, Crown Sedan production ceased in 2008
TMC Hybrid Vehicle Chronology
| Year | Month | Milestone |
| 1997 | Mar. | Toyota Hybrid System (THS) unveiled |
| Aug. | Coaster Hybrid EV launched (Japan only) | |
| Oct. | Prius unveiled (launched in December) | |
| 2000 | Nov. | Cumulative global Prius sales top 50,000 vehicles |
| 2001 | Jun. | Estima Hybrid launched (Japan only) |
| Aug. | Crown Royal series with Mild Hybrid System launched (Japan only) | |
| 2002 | Mar. | Cumulative global hybrid vehicle sales top 100,000 mark |
| Aug. | Cumulative global Prius sales top 100,000 vehicles | |
| Oct. | Crown Sedan with Mild Hybrid System launched (Japan only) | |
| 2003 | Apr. | Toyota Hybrid System II (THS II) unveiled |
| Jul. | Alphard Hybrid launched (Japan only) | |
| Sep. | Completely redesigned second-generation Prius launched | |
| Dyna Hybrid and Toyoace Hybrid unveiled (launched in November; Japan only) | ||
| 2005 | Mar. | Harrier Hybrid (Lexus RX 400h) and Kluger Hybrid (Highlander Hybrid) launched |
| Oct. | Cumulative global hybrid vehicle sales top 500,000 mark | |
| Dec. | Second-generation Prius production commenced at SFTM’s Changchun plant in China | |
| 2006 | Mar. | Lexus GS 450h launched |
| Apr. | Cumulative global Prius sales top 500,000 vehicles | |
| May | Camry Hybrid launched (for sale outside Japan) | |
| Jun. | Completely redesigned Estima Hybrid launched (Japan only) | |
| Oct. | Camry Hybrid production commenced at Kentucky Plant in the U.S.; Quick Delivery 200 launched (Japan only) | |
| 2007 | May | Cumulative global hybrid vehicle sales top 1 million mark; Lexus LS 600h/LS 600hL launched |
| 2008 | Feb. | Crown Hybrid unveiled (launched in May; Japan only) |
| Apr. | Cumulative global Prius sales top 1 million vehicles | |
| 2009 | Jan. | Lexus RX 450h unveiled (launched in April) |
| May | Completely redesigned third-generation Prius launched | |
| Jul. | Camry Hybrid production commenced at TMT’s Gateway Plant, Thailand; HS 250h launched | |
| Aug. | Cumulative global hybrid vehicle sales top 2 million mark | |
| Oct. | Sai unveiled (launched in December, Japan only) | |
| Dec. | Camry Hybrid production commenced at TMCA’s Altona Plant, Australia | |
| 2010 | Apr. | Camry Hybrid production commenced at GTMC’s plant in China |
| Jun. | Auris Hybrid production commenced at TMUK’s Burnaston Plant, UK; Auris Hybrid launched (for sale outside Japan) | |
| Jul. | Cumulative sales in Japan of hybrids top 1 million vehicles | |
| Sep. | Cumulative global Prius sales top 2 million vehicles | |
| Nov. | Third-generation Prius production commenced at TMT’s Gateway Plant, Thailand | |
| 2011 | Jan. | Annual Prius sales in Japan of new vehicles in 2010 were 315,669 vehicles, the largest amount of annual sales ever recorded; Lexus CT 200h launched |
| Feb. | Cumulative global hybrid vehicle sales top 3 million mark | |
| May | Prius α launched | |
| Aug. | Prius sales in Japan top 1 million mark | |
| Sep. | Completely redesigned Camry Hybrid launched in Japan; Alphard Hybrid and Vellfire Hybrid unveiled (launched in November, Japan only) | |
| Oct. | TMEC of China conducts cornerstone laying ceremony and announces plan to produce and sell vehicles with hybrid systems produced in China jointly with China FAW Group and GTMC around 2015 | |
| Nov. | Prius PHV unveiled (launched in January 2012 in Japan, in March 2012 in the U.S., in the summer of 2012 in Europe) | |
| Dec. | Production of third-generation Prius commenced at SFTM’s Changchun Plant in China; Aqua launched |
| 2012 | Jan. | Completely redesigned Lexus GS 450h unveiled (launched in March) |
| Feb. | Start of Highlander Hybrid production at Indiana Plant in the U.S. in the second half of 2013 announced | |
| Production and sale of Camry Hybrid in Kuozui’s Kuanying Plant, Taiwan commenced | ||
| Apr. | Cumulative global hybrid vehicle sales top 4 million mark | |
| May | Yaris Hybrid launched (for sale outside Japan) | |
| Jul. | Start of Lexus RX 450h production at TMMC’s Cambridge Plant in early 2014 announced; Lexus ES 300h launched (for sale outside Japan) | |
| Oct. | Cumulative hybrid vehicle sales in Japan top 2 million mark | |
| Cumulative global hybrid vehicle sales from January through October 2012 top 1 million mark | ||
| Nov. | Completely redesigned Auris Hybrid launched (for sale outside Japan) | |
| Dec. | Completely redesigned Crown hybrid unveiled (launched in January 2013, Japan only); Avalon hybrid launched (for sale outside Japan) | |
| 2013 | Mar. | Cumulative global hybrid vehicle sales top 5 million mark |
| May | Lexus IS 300h launched | |
| Aug. | Corolla Axio Hybrid and Corolla Fielder Hybrid launched | |
| Sep. | Crown Majesta (only hybrid version available) launched | |
| Oct. | Lexus GS 300h launched | |
| Nov. | Completely redesigned Harrier Hybrid unveiled (launched in January 2014) | |
| Dec. | Cumulative global hybrid vehicle sales top 6 million mark |
