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Toyota Hybrids Have Now Sold One Million In US

by Darren

Toyota hybrid vehicles have been catching on with consumers, as indicated by Toyota’s recent announcement that they’ve sold one million of the fuel efficient vehicles in the United States.

The huge success has been built mostly due to the popular of the Toyota Prius, which remains the world’s best-selling hybrid vehicle. The Prius line has been offered in the US since 2000.

Toyota has also enjoyed high sales revenue of hybrid versions of their Highlander SUV, Lexus RX luxury SUV, Camry sedan, Lexus GS 450h luxury sedan and Lexus LS 600h L luxury.

“One million hybrids in less than nine years indicates how quickly American consumers have accepted this important technology,” President of Toyota Motor Sales Jim Lentz said. “Toyota’s hybrid leadership will continue to expand in the U.S. and around the globe. With ten new hybrid models between now and 2012 in various global markets, we plan to sell one million gas-electric hybrids per year, worldwide, sometime early in the next decade.”

In 2009 and beyond Toyota is expected to face much stiffer competition when it comes to hybrid vehicles. Ford is hoping their new Fusion hybrid will entice the same customers who have been buying the Prius. Honda hopes the new Honda Insight hybrid will do the same. Toyota has the advantage of being the incumbent, but the marketplace promises to be a much tougher battleground as more companies release hybrid vehicles.

For now, though, Toyota clearly remains king of the hybrid.