In the same week Volvo announced plans to launch only electrified new cars from 2019-on, Toyota Motor Europe has released sales figures showing how far ahead of everyone it is: already in 2017, 40 percent of its European new car sales are electrified hybrid models.
That’s 208,300 units – already more than one-fifth of the total electrified cars Volvo aims to have built by 2025, in 2017 alone. Restrict things to Western Europe and the richness of the hybrid mix goes up further, to one in two of all new cars sold.
It’s even richer for Lexus. On average, 63 percent of Lexus sold throughout Europe are hybrids… and in Western Europe, the hybrid mix is a whopping 99 percent.
Toyota and Lexus hybrid sales are growing rapidly as well, adds the firm. They’re up 44 percent year-on-year, driven by cars such as the new C-HR crossover: 80 percent of sales are hybrid, says Toyota – it’s Europe’s favourite hybrid Toyota, with 52,400 units sold so far. Meanwhile, Yaris Hybrid sales are up seven percent, and RAV4 Hybrid sales have gone up 75 percent.
“Our sales increased by a remarkable 11 percent,” said Toyota Motor Europe president and CEO Dr Johan van Zyl. “Our hybrid line-up of 15 Toyota and Lexus models, the largest in the automotive sector, drove this double-digit sales increase.”
The best-selling Toyota in Europe so far this year is, by a clear margin, the Yaris, on 108,658 units. Next up is the Toyota C-HR, followed by the Auris and RAV4. Lexus’ best-seller is the NX, on 13,387 units, then the RX. Both the CT 200h and IS range have faded away dramatically though, given both models’ focus on high-volume premium car sectors. Lexus has sold only 3,324 IS models so far in 2017 – despite a recent facelift.
More on Motoring Research:
- Every new Volvo will be electrified from 2019
- RAC: incentives to buy green cars ‘fading away’
- The Toyota Prius is Britain’s fastest-selling used car
