Sales of Lexus hybrids top 500,000

                              

                               Sales of Lexus hybrids top 500,000 

Lexus has announced that it has sold more than 500,000 hybrids globally

Lexus has announced that sales of its hybrid models have passed the 500,000 mark. It has taken seven years for the firm to hit the half million sales milestone, as its first hybrid model, the RX 400h, went on sale in 2005.

The Lexus RX 400h hybrid SUV has been the firm’s best-selling model, accounting for more than half of total Lexus hybrid sales. The relatively new CT 200h is the second best-selling model, despite being on sale for one year.

The UK market accounts for seven per cent of global Lexus hybrid sales, with Europe making up a quarter in total.

Lexus says that around a quarter of the cars that it sells are hybrid models, and that sales of its alternative powertrain vehicles are on the rise – a trend that’s set to continue in 2013, when the new IS 300h hybrid arrives.

When it comes to hybrids, Lexus claims a number of industry-first introductions. The GS 450h was the first rear-wheel drive full hybrid saloon, and the LS 600h was the first V8 hybrid – a car which Lexus claims is the most powerful hybrid vehicle on the road.

Total Lexus hybrid sales, up to the end of November 2012:

Model	Year introduced	Total global sales	Total UK sales
RX 400h/450h	2005/2009	259,000	20,393
GS 450h	2006	32,000	2,894
LS 600h	2007	29,000	578
HS 250h	2009	56,000	n/a
CT 200h	2011	122,000	8,839
ES 300h	2012	8,000	n/a