Toyota Motor Corp sold more than five million Toyota and Lexus hybrid vehicles since 1997, in around 80 different countries, with the Prius model becoming one of the world’s best-selling cars, and is now among 20 different hybrid models offered by the automaker. TMC plans to introduce 18 new hybrids and a fuel cell vehicle within the next two years.

The company calculates that its hybrid vehicles have contributed to around 34 million tonnes less CO2 entering the atmosphere, compared to the impact that the same number of petrol-powered cars of a similar size and performance would have had. This translates to an estimated saving of roughly 1.2 billion litres of petrol.

The original Prius’s hybrid drivetrain was designed from scratch, with the aim to give an indication of Toyota’s commitment to environmental issues. The model ended up having a lasting effect on the global car industry, and increased environmental and hybrid technology awareness worldwide.

Toyota plans to further expand its hybrid product range. The current range of nine Toyota and Lexus hybrids in the UK will increase, beginning this summer with the launch of the new Lexus IS 300h executive sports saloon and the British-built Auris Touring Sports Hybrid – Europe’s first full hybrid family estate car.

UK Sales of Toyota and Lexus hybrids are nearing the 100,000 mark since the original Prius made its debut here in 2000. This contributes to a European figure of 544,184 cars sold up to the end of March – more than 10% of the global sales figure. The entire hybrid range offers wide market reach, from the Yaris Hybrid supermini through to the Lexus LS 600h limousine.

The way in which customers have come to understand and embrace hybrid cars is reflected in the speed of sales growth: in Europe it took seven years for the first 100,000 to be sold, while in 2012 alone the figure was more than 109,000. In the first quarter of 2013, European sales have increased 82% year-on-year, accounting for 21% of the Toyota’s sales total.

Customers in the UK and Europe who choose hybrid vehicles enjoy lower cost of ownership and attractive tax benefits. As well as reducing CO2 emissions, the hybrid system plays an important part in improving air quality by emitting less NOx and particulate matter than diesel vehicles.

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