Toyota EU Prius sales
July 18th, 2010 by Richard Aucock
TOYOTA has underlined its current dominance of the hybrid car market by hitting a Prius sales landmark.
Sales have just topped the 200,000 mark across Europe, a decade after the petrol-electric motor went on sale.
It’s an impressive figure; the 100,000 mark was only reached in 2008! It’s doing even better globally, too: worldwide sales are expected to reach 2 million this autumn.
UK buyers are taking a big chunk of those Prius, which are eligible for free London Congestion Charge and other environmentally-led benefits. More than 1 in 5 EU Prius are sold here.
Sales year to date are 6579; that’s almost equal to the whole of 2009, despite us having only just reached the half-way point of 2010.
Toyota has made the announcement as sales begin of the Auris Hybrid, extending the range of eco-led models in car dealers.
There’s also a cheeky point made to rivals; they may be promising prototypes or touting test cars, says the firm, but the Prius has actually already been on sale here for a decade…