Toyota Celebrates 10 Years of Prius in Canada

Toyota Canada thanks Canadians for making Prius the most popular hybrid vehicle in the country with more than 20,000 sold since launch

TORONTO, July 27 /CNW/ - Ten years ago Toyota launched a new kind of car in North America. It was the Prius, an affordable car with a hybrid gas/electric powertrain. In the decade that followed, the Prius made an indelible mark on the automotive industry. The car with the signature wedge shape proved to be an agent of change, and a catalyst for innovative ideas. Over 1.8 million units have been sold in the world to date, over 20,000 of which have been sold in Canada. Toyota believes that the best environmental solutions are those that are readily adopted by consumers, and the Prius has been a success in that regard.

"A decade ago, we introduced the first generation Prius to Canadians, and a hybrid vehicle sustainable mobility movement began across the country," said Yoichi Tomihara, President of Toyota Canada Inc. "Since then, we have been joined in support by more than 50,000 Canadian Toyota and Lexus hybrid drivers, and we hope this marks the beginning of the same movement for plug-in hybrid technology."

The first Prius came to North America in July of 2000. In the 10 years since its launch, there has been a significant shift in favour of increased manufacturing and adoption of more sustainable vehicle technology. Today in Canada there are nearly 23 hybrid models on the road from 11 brands, with more on the drawing boards. Many of the patents filed during the development of the original Prius are now licensed to manufacturers who also take advantage of Toyota's initial R&D investment. Nevertheless, almost one out of every three hybrids on Canadian roads is a Prius, which remains the benchmark to which all hybrid cars are compared.

The over 20,000 Canadians who chose to drive a Toyota Prius versus the average car of the same class have prevented an estimated 190,000 tonnes of CO(2) from entering the atmosphere, conserved approximately 80 million litres of gas, and saved an estimated 80 million of their hard-earned dollars*.

Widely characterized as environmentalists, early Prius adopters were actually more likely to be tech-savvy professionals. Those first owners, well aware of public events and global developments, were conscious of the impact of their own choices. They became articulate advocates for the technology.

Driving a Prius delivered a new kind of satisfaction, based on a new set of values. It was a car enriched with advanced features, in tune with global issues that assumed greater importance every year. It provided an affordable transportation solution that earlier all-electric cars did not, as it was able to use existing infrastructure without concerns for recharging or range limitations.

Today, the Prius has become a mainstream vehicle. It is an icon for the company that speaks to our leadership in the area of sustainable mobility.

* Based on average of NRCan's fuel consumption ratings for compact/midsize vehicles from 2001-2010MY, 20,000 km/year driving, and MJ Erving Canadian average fuel prices

About Toyota Canada Inc.

Toyota Canada Inc. (TCI) is the exclusive Canadian distributor of Toyota and Lexus cars, SUVs and trucks, and Toyota Industrial Equipment. TCI's head office is in Toronto, with regional offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Halifax and parts distribution centres in Toronto and Vancouver.

For further information: including a full list of media contacts, digital images and product details please visit media.toyota.ca