In 1997, Toyota transformed the automotive market with the Toyota Prius. When it first hit the scene, it was clear that this hybrid was no novelty car. It was–and still is–a well-balanced compact sedan featuring an extremely robust hybrid powertrain. In fact, since 2005, 95% of all Prius models sold are still on the road.
Did Toyota’s gamble on hybrid technology payoff? The truth is in the numbers. And the numbers are big.
Toyota just announced that it had produced its 9 millionth hybrid vehicle. But that’s not the whole story. Back in July, the number of Toyota hybrid vehicles had reached 8 million, meaning that Toyota made a million hybrid vehicles in only nine months! It’s an incredible feat that stands as stark testimony to the design and engineering prowess and business acumen of the automaker.
And now Toyota is set to revolutionize the green car market yet again with the Toyota Mirai. Instead of a hybrid powertrain, the Mirai features an innovative hydrogen fuel cell powertrain that delivers 302 miles in range, all the while emitting zero emissions.