Toyota Sold 5 Million Hybrid Vehicles Worldwide

Toyota has reached a major milestone this month. The company announced they sold five million hybrid vehicles worldwide since the first-generation Prius went on sale in Japan back in 1997. Even more astonishing was that almost two-fifths of the five million hybrid vehicles were sold in the U.S.;1,951,243 vehicles to be exact.

“The first Prius was a surprising success and we never imagined the market would become as vast as it has for the hybrid powertrain,” said Bob Carter, TMS senior vice president of automotive operations.

Toyota says sales of hybrid vehicles make up 16 percent of overall Toyota/Lexus sales, both globally and in the U.S. In the U.S., Toyota and Lexus hybrid vehicles make up 70 percent sales of hybrid vehicles. A high number once you consider that hybrid vehicles only make up three percent of the total U.S. car market.