Toyota has surpassed the milestone of more than 15 million hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) sold worldwide since the Prius debuted in 1997. Today in Europe, sales of HEVs have passed the 2.8 million mark with a range of 19 different HEV models on offer across the Toyota and Lexus brands, which in 2019 accounted for 52% of total volume, and 63% in West Europe.
The range of HEVs from Toyota and Lexus now reaches 44 globally, far eclipsing the original flag-bearer that remains the symbol of the company’s early foray into mass electrification led by Takeshi Uchiyamada’s team over 25 years ago. Today, 15 million hybrid sales later, Toyota claims big numbers such as saving the environment from over 120 million tonnes of CO2 emissions worldwide.
It is thanks to our hybrid sales that Toyota is well on its way to meeting the 95 g/km target set by the EU for 2020 and 2021 in Europe, where CO2 regulations are the toughest in the world. In addition, our full hybrids are also incredibly effective at running without emissions for the majority of the time in cities. – Matt Harrison, Executive Vice President, Toyota Motor Europe
Lexus lineup
Of course, we must work hard on improving battery performance and lowering costs (of BEVs), which we are doing. But we must avoid having no plan until we overcome the hurdles related to both BEVs and FCEVs. In the meantime, we can contribute by continuing our work on HEVs. – Shigeki Terashi, Chief Officer, Toyota Motor Corporation
Toyota says that the hybrid will naturally lead to BEVs and FCEVs. The company is planning to launch 40 new or updated electrified vehicles by 2025, across all technologies, including at least 10 ZEVs (Zero-emissions vehicle).
Also read: Hybrids account for 41% of Toyota’s sales in Europe (2017)
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