Positioning response to environmental issues as a management priority and based on its belief that environment-friendly vehicles can only truly have a positive impact if they are used widely, TMC has endeavored to promote the mass-market adoption of hybrid vehicles.
Last year, hybrid vehicles accounted for 14 percent of TMC's global vehicle sales and 40 percent of its vehicle sales in Japan. As of this month, TMC sells 19 hybrid passenger car models and one plug-in hybrid model in approximately 80 countries and regions around the world, and between now and December 2015, TMC will launch a total of 18 new hybrid vehicles worldwide and is committed to augmenting its product lineup even further and increasing the number of countries and regions where it sells hybrid vehicles.
TMC calculates that as of March 31, 2013, TMC hybrid vehicles2 have resulted in approximately 34 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. TMC also estimates that its hybrid vehicles have saved approximately 12 million kiloliters of gasoline compared to the amount used by gasoline-powered vehicles of similar size.
In 1997 in Japan, TMC launched the "Coaster Hybrid EV" in August and launched the "Prius"—the world's first mass-produced hybrid passenger vehicle—in December. Since then, TMC hybrid vehicles have received tremendous support from consumers around the world.
TMC Vice Chairman Takeshi Uchiyamada, who was responsible for development of the first-generation Prius, said: "We developed the first-generation Prius with the aim of making it a car for the twenty-first century and as an indication of Toyota's response to environmental issues. We had to develop a hybrid system from scratch, making our task extremely difficult. Nevertheless, we took on the challenge. The launch of the first-generation Prius had effects beyond our expectations, with the vehicle increasing consumer environmental awareness and raising hybrid vehicle expectations. The understanding of consumers at launch time laid the foundation for the widespread adoption, and, since then, consumers have continued to support TMC hybrid vehicles. For this, I am extremely grateful."
Having 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, TMC plans to continue working to further 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.
Link to dedicated web content including a video message from Vice Chairman Uchiyamada: http://www.toyota-global.com/hv5m/
1Including plug-in hybrid vehicles; TMC 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* | (Unit = 1,000 vehicles) |
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | |
| Japan | 0.3 | 17.6 | 15.2 | 12.5 | 18.4 | 19.9 | 27.1 | 68.7 | 58.5 | 72.4 |
| Outside Japan | 6.4 | 18.4 | 21.3 | 26.1 | 65.9 | 176.4 | 240.0 | |||
| Total | 0.3 | 17.6 | 15.2 | 19.0 | 36.9 | 41.3 | 53.2 | 134.6 | 234.9 | 312.5 |
| Cumulative total | 0.3 | 17.9 | 33.2 | 52.2 | 89.1 | 130.5 | 183.8 | 318.5 | 553.4 | 865.9 |
 | | |||||||||
| 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | Jan-Mar 2013 | ||||
| Japan | 81.9 | 104.4 | 251.1 | 392.2 | 316.3 | 678.0 | 187.8 | |||
| Outside Japan | 347.4 | 325.3 | 278.9 | 297.9 | 312.6 | 541.0 | 144.3 | |||
| Total | 429.4 | 429.7 | 530.1 | 690.1 | 628.9 | 1,219.0 | 332.1 | |||
| Cumulative total | 1,295.3 | 1,725.1 | 2,255.2 | 2,945.4 | 3,574.4 | 4,793.5 | 5,125.6 | |||
| *Based on TMC data | ||||||||||
| Cumulative Sales of TMC Hybrid Passenger Vehicles (as of March 31, 2013)*1 | (Unit = 1,000 vehicles) |
| Vehicle name | Prius | Prius α (Prius v Prius +) | Aqua (Prius c) | Camry HV | Alphard Hybrid*2 | Auris Hybrid | Yaris Hybrid | Avalon Hybrid |
| Japan | 1304.0 | 215.5 | 347.6 | 27.9 | 38.2 | — | — | — |
| Outside Japan | 1630.7 | 79.4 | 61.9 | 329.1 | 0.8 | 85.6 | 36.6 | 4.7 |
| Total | 2,934.8 | 294.9 | 409.5 | 357.1 | 39.0 | 85.6 | 36.6 | 4.7 |
|
| Vehicle name | Kluger Hybrid*3 (Highlander Hybrid) | Vellfire Hybrid | Sai | Estima Hybrid | Crown Hybrid | Harrier Hybrid*4 | Crown Mild Hybrid*5 | |
| Japan | 3.4 | 12.9 | 59.9 | 99.3 | 40.9 | 23.7 | 6.4 | |
| Outside Japan | 130.3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Total | 133.7 | 12.9 | 59.9 | 99.3 | 40.9 | 23.7 | 6.4 | |
| | | ||||||
| Vehicle name | LS 600h LS 600hL | GS 450h | RX 400h RX 450h | HS 250h | CT 200h | ES 300h | Prius PHV | |
| Japan | 20.9 | 11.7 | 23.7 | 35.4 | 34.1 | — | 12.6 | |
| Outside Japan | 11.1 | 22.3 | 244.5 | 22.3 | 103.2 | 19.2 | 20.1 | |
| Total | 32.0 | 34.1 | 268.2 | 57.8 | 137.3 | 19.2 | 32.7 | |
| | | ||||||
| Vehicle name | Hybrid Passenger Vehicle Cumulative Total | Hybrid Commercial Vehicle Cumulative Total*6 | ||||||
| Japan | 2,318.7 | 4.2 | ||||||
| Outside Japan | 2,802.6 | — | ||||||
| Total | 5,121.4 | 4.2 | ||||||
| *1TMC data; *2Production ceased in 2008 and production of a new model started in 2011; *3Kluger Hybrid (for the Japanese market) production ceased in 2007; *4Harrier hybrid production ceased in 2012; *5Crown Royal production ceased in 2003, Crown Sedan production ceased in 2008; *6Accumulated figure for Coaster Hybrid EV (production ceased in 2004), Dyna Hybrid, Toyoace Hybrid and Quick Delivery 200 (hybrid-version production ceased in 2012). | ||||||||
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 (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. | 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; 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. | 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; 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; Hybrid models of the Alphard and Vellfire added (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 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 RX 450h production at TMMC's Cambridge Plant in early 2014 announced; 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 |
