Reporting Toyota Hybrid Car Sales For February 2009

TMS posted February 2009 sales of 11,814 hybrid vehicles. Toyota Division recorded sales of 10,268 hybrids for the month. Lexus Division reported February sales of 1,546 hybrids.The February 2009 figure shows a decrease of 35% over the figure of 18,289 units for the same period in 2008. However with sales of “non hybrids” generally down almost 60% the hybrid market appears to be performing well in relevant terms.

Toyota’s Prius, the world’s best selling hybrid car sold 7,232 units versus 10,893 units for February 2008.The Prius faces stiff competition this year for the first time since its release over ten years ago. The imminent releases of the Honda Insight Hybrid, and Ford’s Fusion Hybrid, will offer serious choice to hybrid car buyers in 2009.

There were 24 selling days this month, compared to 25 selling days last February.

Honda began sales in Japan February 6, 2009, of the all-new Insight hybrid vehicle, a five-door hatchback model featuring a lightweight, compact hybrid system that achieves exceptional fuel economy at an affordable price. Sales of the all-new Insight is scheduled to begin in Europe and North America in March and April, respectively. Honda set annual sales targets of approximately 60,000 units in Japan, more than 30,000 units in Europe and approximately 100,000 units in North America. The annual global sales target is approximately 200,000 units.

Honda will further enhance its hybrid model lineup with the introduction of the all-new sporty hybrid vehicle, based on the CR-Z design concept model, in 2010, in the effort to achieve full-scale market penetration of hybrid vehicles.