Toyota's hybrid landmark: 2meg and counting

Global sales of Toyota hybrids have passed the two million unit mark. That's according to the calculations of Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) and an announcement made today by the Japanese giant.

According to Toyota, total worldwide hybrid sales to the end of August 2009 were more than 2.01 million, including more than 1.4 million Prius (three generations of which are pictured). Says the carmaker: "it took almost 10 years for Toyota's hybrid sales to reach one million, but only two years and three months for the second million".

Toyota says its hybrid fleet is responsible for saving 11 million tonnes of CO2.

Toyota and its affiliates including Lexus, sell 13 hybrid vehicle models across the world's developed markets including three commercial-vehicle models in Japan. Locally the hybrid line-up comprises Prius, Lexus GS450h, RX 450h and LS 600hL, and a Hino truck model.

Pilot production of the next Toyota hybrid model to go on sale Down Under, the Camry Hybrid, was announced last week.

Toyota says it will roll out up to eight new hybrid models in Australia in the next four years. It recently announced a hybrid version of the Corolla would debut at this month's Frankfurt Motor Show.

Internationally, Toyota says it aims to sell one million hybrid vehicles per year by the mid-2010s and introduce hybrid models in all vehicle series as early as possible in the 2020s.

Read the latest Carsales Network news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at www.carsales.mobi