82% YOY Increase For Toyota Hybrids In Europe; 1/5th of Manufacturer's Total Sales

[hatrack]

The growing popularity of green vehicles was hammered home again yesterday, as manufacturing giant Toyota reported a record 82 per cent increase in sales of its bellwether hybrid cars.

The company confirmed sales of its hybrid Toyota and Lexus brands rose 82.3 per cent year-on-year to over 38,600 units during the first quarter, accounting for a fifth of total sales for the first time.

Daniele Schillaci, senior vice president for sales and marketing at the company, said in a statement that the surge in demand for new hybrid cars marked a bright spot in a tough European market.

"The European automotive industry is still experiencing an increasingly shrinking market," he said. "Despite the challenging sales environment, our results are in-line with the market evolution. As we approach our global five million full hybrid sales milestone, the strong sales performance of our hybrid products in Europe is particularly encouraging."

EDIT

http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2260709/soaring-hybrid-demand-accounts-for-fifth-of-all-toyota-sales-in-europe

[kristopher]

1. Outstanding.