Since producing the first Prius in 1997, we have sold more than fifteen million hybrid electric vehicles around the world, saving more than 118 million tonnes of CO2. Hybrid technology is the basis of all our alternative powertrains. Using our basic hybrid architecture and the know-how we have gained, we can develop battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and fuel cell electric vehicles that run on hydrogen fuel.
In the 21st century we have to find ways to make vehicles that are kinder to the environment and reduce our dependence on oil-based fuels. We see hybrid as a core technology for achieving these goals, combining different energy sources in a single powertrain to obtain outstanding fuel efficiency with significantly lower emissions, at a price customers can afford.
Since we introduced Prius, our first mass-produced hybrid car, in 1997, we have continually improved our hybrid know-how. Today our hybrids are not only more efficient than ever, with around a 10% improvement in fuel consumption with each generation, they also deliver stronger performance and are renowned for their hard-wearing quality, reliability and low running costs.
To make the most of hybrid’s potential to reduce emissions, our aim is to develop affordable technology that can be enjoyed by as many customers as possible.
This is why we have increased our hybrid range from a single model – Prius – to 44 today. As the range of different hybrid models increases, so the technology reaches more potential customers.
This helped us to meet our goals of having sold 15 million hybrids worldwide and reach an annual sales rate of 1.5 million vehicles from 2020.
"While the world has been debating all-electric cars, Toyota has put more than 15 million hybrids on the road."
Didier Leroy, EVP of Toyota Motor Corporation
Electricity is generated as you drive the car, captured from the energy created when you brake or slow down. This power is then stored ready for use in the hybrid battery. A power control unit automatically determines the most efficient power source to use at any moment, whether you are in slow moving traffic or on the open road. In stop-start traffic, our full hybrid system switches to all-electric EV mode to maximise the benefit of driving with zero tailpipe emissions and zero fuel consumption. If battery power runs low, or you increase your speed, the hybrid engine automatically restarts.
The hybrid Yaris, Corolla, Corolla Touring Sports and C-HR are built at our factories in France, the UK and Turkey. The increasing popularity of our hybrid models reflects how customers now accept hybrid as a mainstream choice and appreciate the multiple advantages it offers as an alternative to conventional gasoline and diesel models. Two thirds of all Corolla models and half of Yaris sold in Europe are hybrids. Four out of every five C-HR models we sell are hybrids. Together these European-built cars represent three in every four hybrids we sell in the region.
We have always recognised the value of making vehicles within or close to the markets where they will be sold. This is true, too, of our hybrid models, with production plants operating in a number of countries outside Japan. In Europe we have hybrid production facilities at Valenciennes in France (TMMF), Burnaston and Deeside in the UK (TMUK) and Sakarya in Turkey (TMMT). TMMF and TMUK are two of our designated sustainable plants, which set global standards for environmentally efficient manufacturing.
This includes reducing demand on natural resources, recycling and eliminating waste, drawing energy from sustainable and renewable sources and working in harmony with the local environment and communities. By making hybrids locally, we further reduce their environmental impact by removing the need for long-distance shipping around the world. This helps us shrink our vehicles’ carbon footprint and supports our commitment to reducing emissions at every stage of a vehicle’s lifecycle.