Worldwide Prius Sales Top 1 Million Mark

05/15/2008

May 15, 2008 - Tokyo - Toyota Motor
Corporation (TMC) announced today that worldwide cumulative sales of the Toyota
Prius—the world’s first mass-produced gasoline/electric hybrid vehicle—have
passed the 1 million mark, with approximately 1,028,000 units sold as of the end
of April this year*1. Currently, Prius sales are robust in more than 40 countries
and regions, particularly in Japan and North America.Based on sales figures
collected up to April 30, 2008, TMC believes that Prius vehicles worldwide have
contributed to a reduction in CO2 emissions (considered a cause of global warming)
by producing approximately 4.5 million tons*2 less CO2 when compared with gasoline-powered
vehicles in the same class and of similar size and driving performance. The
Prius was launched in Japan in 1997 and began selling in Europe, North America
and other markets in 2000. In 2005, Toyota began first overseas production of
the Prius in Changchun, China, and sales of Prius vehicles in South Korea are
expected to begin in the latter half of 2009. In 2003, the second-generation
Prius, equipped with the Toyota Hybrid System II, was introduced with improved
environmental performance and power. In August 2007, Prius G, S and S “Standard
Package” Japan models achieved a fuel efficiency of 29.6km/l in the Japanese
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s newly introduced JC08 test cycle.
(The Prius S and S “Standard Package” models achieved 35.5km/l in the
older 10-15 test cycle.) The Prius is also one of the first vehicles to meet the
new 2015 Japanese fuel efficiency standards set out under the Law Concerning the
Rational Use of Energy.As part of its high-priority environment-management
policies, Toyota has made a concerted effort to promote and popularize hybrid
technology, chiefly through the Prius. And as hybrid technology can be applied
to a wide range of vehicles, Toyota aims to sell 1 million or more hybrid vehicles
annually as early as possible in the 2010s.