Cumulative Prius Sales Pass Half-Million Mark - Reuters

[hatrack]

TOKYO - Toyota Motor Corp. said on Wednesday cumulative sales of its Prius hybrid car hit 504,700 units worldwide at the end of April, passing the half-million milestone in 8- years.

Japan's top auto maker, which became the world's first to offer a gasoline-electric hybrid in 1997, has been leading the industry in promoting the fuel-sipping cars, aiming to sell 1 million units annually in the years shortly after 2010.

Demand has surged, especially after Toyota rolled out the remodelled Prius sedan in 2003 powered by a second-generation hybrid system, which improved fuel economy and performance. Hybrid cars save fuel by capturing excess energy and feeding it to an electric motor under certain driving conditions.

The auto maker has said it wants to eventually offer the powertrain across its entire line-up. Sales of all of its hybrid vehicles, including on the Lexus badge, passed 600,000 units at the end of March, Toyota said in a statement.

EDIT

http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/36713/story.htm

[benddem]

1. was just at the Toyota dealer

yesterday. Salesman (who sold me my Prius) said they are "flying out of the lot."

[lindisfarne]

3. Can you still get the tax credit at this point? Or have the passed the

number of sales for which the credit is allowed?

[maxsolomon]

2. hey GM

WTF. a retard could have seen this coming.