Prius c comes in four trim levels, all powered by a 1.5-liter DOHC, 16-valve engine with VVT-i, a 60- horsepower permanent magnet AC motor, and a 144 volt nickel-metal hydride battery pack, which generates 25.9 horsepower.
Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) in Japan announced today that its global hybrid vehicle sales totaled four million vehicles through April 2012. Of that tally, 1.5 million Toyota hybrids have been sold in the United States where it dominates the advanced technology vehicle market by outselling all other hybrid and electric vehicles combined. Toyota in the U.S. now holds 65% of the hybrid market, with the Prius line accounting for 1.2 million vehicles so far.
Prius was, arguably along with the Honda Insight, the world’s first mass-produced hybrid gas-electric vehicle and now in its third generation is unquestionably the most successful hybrid, which continues to give Toyota a halo reputation as an environmentally responsible company.
In this new technology, green image boosting vehicle segment, TMS posted U.S. April sales of 32,593 hybrid vehicles, an increase of 125% compared to the same period last year, when the Japan earthquake and tsunami disrupted production. This means that TMS held about 75% of the hybrid market in total based on reported numbers, although Hyundai doesn’t break out sales of hybrid Sonata models. Toyota Division posted sales of 30,126 hybrids for the month, up 142.7% over the year-ago month. Lexus Division reported monthly sales 2,467 hybrids, increasing 17.6% year-over-year. The Prius brand – Prius, Prius v, Prius Plug-in and Prius c – accounted for a combined sales volume of 25,168 units.
Nobody else was even close. The Honda Insight and Civic hybrids were at ~1,500 vehicles. Nissan, which scorned the fuel saving hybrid technology two decades ago and is now attempting recover with pure EVs, sold, ahem, 374 Leaf electric cars, down 35% from 2011.
Toyota currently sells 18 hybrid passenger vehicles in 80 countries and regions around the world, and so far this year they comprise 15% of TMC’s global vehicle sales total. Prius Liftback, Toyota’s first hybrid passenger car, went on sale in Japan in 1997. Hybrid technology was later introduced to the U.S. in 2000 with the arrival of the Prius.
Since the Prius v debuted in November 2011 in the U.S., followed by Prius c and Prius Plug-in during the first quarter of 2012, the Prius family has sold 60,859 units in the U.S.
In addition to the Prius Family, Toyota’s other U.S. hybrid models include versions of the Camry and Highlander, which have larger displacement applications of Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive.
In Europe, Toyota hybrid vehicles include the Toyota Prius, Toyota Auris Hybrid and upcoming Toyota Yaris Hybrid; the last two are produced at manufacturing facilities based in Europe. Later this year, Toyota will also launch the Toyota Prius+ and Prius Plug-in Hybrid in Europe.
Toyota claims that the total number of its hybrid vehicles sold globally since 1997 have emitted about 26 million fewer tons of C02 emissions than would have been spewed by gasoline-powered vehicles of similar size and driving performance.
