According to analysis from
Bloomberg News, Prius sales in the
U.S. more than doubled from 9918
cars in last year’s first quarter, and
they continue to rise. Toyota expects
Prius sales to almost double this year
to 100,000 cars, up from 53,991 cars
last year. And R.L. Polk & Co. says
Toyota had a 64% market share of the
U.S. hybrid car market, which consisted
mostly of the Prius.
Worldwide, well over 300,000
Prius cars have been sold since its
introduction in Japan in 1997. Figures
from the Electric Drive Transportation
Association show that Toyota sold
72,849 Prius cars through August of
this year versus 53,761 sold last year.
According to Bloomberg, the company
more than doubled its sales of
hybrid cars and SUVs in the first quarter
of this year. Sales rose to 35,474,
topping last year’s 16,087, again
most of which were Prius cars.
Like other hybrid vehicles such as
the Ford Escape, Toyota’s Lexus 400h
and Highlander, and Honda’s Civic,
Insight, and Accord, the Prius is eligible
for a $2000 clean air fuel tax
deduction provided by the U.S. IRS in
2005, which lowers to $500 in 2006.
It’s also exempt from the U.K.’s
London Congestion Charge, which
represents a potential annual savings
of £1120 for a commuter.