Toyota Worldwide Hybrid Sales Top 500,000
25 November 2005
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Cumulative worldwide sales of Toyota hybrids have topped the 500,000 mark, with approximately 513,000 units sold worldwide by the end of October this year. The majority of those sales (426,800, or 83%) come from the Prius.
Toyota launched the Prius—the world’s first mass-produced hybrid vehicle—in Japan in 1997 and began selling it in North America, Europe and elsewhere in 2000. In 2001, it added in Japan the Estima Hybrid minivan, the Crown luxury sedan mild hybrid and the Dyna light-duty hybrid truck.
In 2003, Toyota introduced in the second-generation Prius a new-generation hybrid system. In 2005, it expanded use of this system to SUVs in the form of the Lexus RX400h (Harrier Hybrid in Japan) and the Highlander Hybrid (Kluger Hybrid in Japan).
Scheduled for release in spring 2006 is a rear-wheel drive hybrid Lexus GS450h.
| Cumulative Toyota Hybrid Sales Worldwide (rounded to nearest hundred) | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005* | Total | |
| * January–October | ||||||||||
| Japan | 300 | 17,700 | 15,300 | 12,500 | 18,500 | 19,900 | 27,200 | 68,700 | 49,400 | 229,500 |
| Overseas | – | – | – | 6,500 | 18,400 | 21,400 | 26,100 | 66,000 | 145,000 | 283,800 |
| Total | 300 | 17,700 | 15,300 | 19,000 | 36,900 | 41,300 | 53,300 | 134,700 | 194,800 | 513,300 |
| Sales of Main Toyota Hybrid Models | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prius | Estima Hybrid | Crown mild Hybrid | Harrier Hybrid (Rx400h) | Kluger Hybrid (Highlander) | |
| Start of sales in Japan | Dec 1997 | Jun 2001 | Aug 2001 | Mar 2005 | Mar 2005 |
| Japan | 177,600 | 26,900 | 5,900 | 4,100 | 2,100 |
| Overseas | 249,200 | – | – | 20,600 | 14,000 |
| Total | 426,800 | 26,900 | 5,900 | 24,700 | 16,100 |
I'd like to see a life cycle analysis of replacing clunkers with hybrids. Presumably it takes the same embodied energy input equivalent to around 120,000L/34,000 gal of fuel to manufacture a hybrid as the current model gas guzzlers. Could it be that places like Cuba that keep dinosaurs going even with poor fuel economy are still using less energy in the long run? Also need to factor in the battery replacement.
Posted by: Aussie | 25 November 2005 at 09:13 PM
Mike, are the Estima and Crown hybrids still produced? If so, are they still running on THS, or have they been upgraded to THS II/HSD? Why haven't they introduced these guys elsewhere? I thought the estima was nearly identical to the previa still being sold in europe. i also find it amusing that the Crown sedan is currently showing up on toyota.com as a concept vehicle. heh go figure.
also notice how it was only in 2005 that worldwide sales beat japanese sales. took them long enough!
Posted by: lensovet | 26 November 2005 at 09:58 AM
Yes. The Crown is a mild hybrid--different fom the THS II/HSD group.
The Estima started out with an earlier version of THS, but Toyota showed a prototype equipped with the latest THS-II and a waste heat recovery system at the Tokyo show in October.
While a hybrid Sienna in the US is expected, I don't think Toyota has announced it yet.
Beats me why they haven't introduced a hybrid minivan overseas yet. I think those will do very well.
Posted by: Mike | 26 November 2005 at 11:51 AM
So is the waste heat recovery system in the Estima a switched reluctance generator similar to what you guys posted back in AUG-SEP timeframe? Seems like putting these kinds of systems in most new vehicles, whether they're hybrid or not, is a no brainer.
Posted by: Tripp Bisop | 29 November 2005 at 08:17 AM
To Whom It May Concern,
I am a Mohawk Student in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and I am doing a project on creating a "Hybrid Conference in the USA. I would very much like to have someone from Toyota come and be member on a Panel to speak about "The Factors Affecting the Development of Hybrid Cars". This is just a project, but if you can supply me with a name, education and employment history and the cost to have someone speak it would be very much appreciated.
I thank you for your help,
Melanie Ramey
Posted by: Melanie Ramey | 10 July 2006 at 08:02 AM
Toyota Hybrid bis 2005
Posted by: JS | 29 October 2007 at 04:48 AM