Prius was first introduced in December 2007 in Japan, and by
April 2008, the hybrid vehicle managed to pass the 1 million mark of units sold
worldwide. In North America alone, Prius sold in over 591,000 units since it
began selling in 2000. The car has now found owners in over 40 countries around
the world.
According to the company’s own estimations, its Prius
hybrids have contributed to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of
approximately 4.5 million tons in CO2 compared to non-hybrid gasoline-powered
vehicle in the same class, with similar size and driving performance.
In 2003, Toyota introduced a second-generation Prius
equipped with the Toyota hybrid System II and offering improved environmental
performance and power. The hybrid is also one of the first cars to meet the
Japanese fuel efficiency standards by 2015, under the Law Concerning the
Rational Use of Energy.
