Toyota to introduce 21 new hybrid models by end of 2015

Selasa, 25 September 2012 13:22

(TOKYO-Kyodo) Toyota Motor Corp., Japan's largest automaker, said Monday it will introduce 21 new hybrid car models in the global market by the end of 2015.

The automaker aims to maintain global sales of such gasoline-electric hybrids at over 1 million units per year from 2013 to 2015, while sales of hybrid cars in 2012 are already expected to significantly exceed 1 million units thanks to upbeat sales of its popular Prius hybrid, Toyota said.

The new models will include 14 all-new vehicles and seven renovated versions.

Marking its reentry into the electric car market, the automaker will also offer 100 units of its new eQ compact electric vehicle to local governments and selected users in Japan and the United States from December.

The four-seat car, which will be offered at 3.6 million yen, has the world's most efficient electric power consumption rate, the automaker said.

Among Japanese automakers, Nissan Motor Co. and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. are the front-runners in the field, while Honda Motor Co. has also started leasing electric cars.

Toyota released its first electric vehicle in 1996 in Japan but stopped its production in 2003.