Toyota sells six of 10 of hybrids in California

Wed, 31 Jul 2013

In an apparent shot back at Ford's increasing market share of electrified vehicles and claim that it accepts more Prius trade-ins for its own hybrids than any other car, Toyota has flexed a muscle and played the numbers game to put the Blue Oval in its place.

Leaning on its hybrid market dominance in California, the Japanese automaker stated that six out of 10 hybrids sold in the Golden State are Toyota models. And it keeps coming: Year-to-date through May 2013, Toyota sold five times more hybrids than Ford. One of every two hybrids in California is a Prius model. In addition, Toyota notes that it has sold 1.5 million Prius vehicles in the US, 90-percent of which are still on the road today.

Want more? We'll let Bill Fay, Toyota's group vice president and general manager of sales lay the smack down:

"The hybrid industry has become competitive, but our wide range of hybrid vehicles continue to deliver high value and strong attributes to both new and loyal customers. With sales of 5.3 million hybrids globally and over two million in the US, we are the undisputed leader in hybrid vehicle technology and remain committed to building on our momentum and growing the acceptance of hybrid technology throughout the US."

And to think Toyota and Ford just ended their collaboration to make hybrid trucks together.

On one hand, those are indeed very impressive statistics, but there's a flip side, as well. If 6 out of 10 Toyota hybrid sales come from California, that's more ammunition that hybrids still aren't a factor for most American new car buyers. As of 2012, only about 3.3 percent of new cars sold in the US were hybrids, of which California sales would clearly represent an inordinately large percentage. So while Toyota may be looking to take upstart Ford to the gas-electric woodshed, it's clear larger struggles remain on the road to hybrid acceptance.

Toyota Leads the Charge in Hybrid Technology with Steady Popularity in California

Toyota Hybrids Maintain Over 60 Percent Market Share in California Since 2008

TORRANCE, Calif. (July 29, 2013) – Californians prefer Toyota hybrids over those of any other automaker as the brand continues to outsell its competition. In California, approximately six out of 10 hybrids sold are Toyota hybrids (61 percent market share). Despite tougher competition in the hybrid segment, Toyota's hybrid leadership remains unmatched.

"The hybrid industry has become competitive, but our wide-range of hybrid vehicles continue to deliver high value and strong attributes to both new and loyal customers," said Bill Fay, group vice president and general manager of Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. "With sales of 5.3 million hybrids globally and over 2 million in the U.S., we the are undisputed leader in hybrid vehicle technology and remain committed to building on our momentum and growing the acceptance of hybrid technology throughout the U.S."

According to data from R.L. Polk capturing registration year-to-date through May 2013, Californians bought five times more Toyota hybrids than its nearest competitor, Ford. General Motor's Chevrolet brand came in third with six percent.

In a state known for environmental leadership, an overwhelming number of Californians turn to Toyota hybrids to deliver cleaner mobility, reliability and real-world fuel savings. In fact, registration data year-to-date through May 2013 shows Californians bought more Toyota hybrids than Ford sold passenger cars within its entire line-up.

Toyota established its leadership in hybrid technology in the U.S. in 2000 with the introduction of its first generation Prius. In 2012, Toyota expanded the Prius from one model to four, which continues to bring new buyers into the market. The Prius family was the number one selling vehicle in California in 2012. Today, one out of every two hybrids in California carries the Prius name.

Since introducing the Prius to the U.S. market, Toyota has produced a total of six other hybrid models for the region, including Camry, Highlander and Avalon. Over the past decade, Toyota has sold nearly 1.5 million Prius vehicles in the U.S., and more than 90 percent are still on the road today. Toyota also offers customers a Prius Plug-In hybrid in 15 states, and features six hybrids in its Lexus line-up, Toyota's luxury division. Worldwide, Toyota has 18 hybrid vehicles spanning more than 30 markets.

Globally, Toyota hybrid vehicles have resulted in approximately 34 million fewer tons of CO2 emissions than those emitted by gasoline-powered vehicles, and have saved their owners more than 3 billion gallons of gasoline.

Toyota remains on track to offer 18 new or redesigned hybrid models globally by the end of 2015.

Toyota will be hosting an event at the end of August in Ypsilanti, Mich. The exclusive event will be the first gathering of the global hybrid vehicle line-up, and will focus on the past, present and future of Toyota's hybrid commitment.

By Damon Lowney