Total sales of hybrid vehicles from Toyota have topped the two million mark, with more than 200,000 of these hybrids sales in Europe.

The world's first mass-produced hybrid, the Toyota Prius, went on sale in Japan in 1997, and now Toyota currently sells 13 hybrid vehicle models in 50 countries and regions around the world.

The Japanese carmaker calculates that since 1997, its hybrid vehicles have led to approximately 11 million fewer tons of CO2 emissions than would have been emitted by petrol-powered vehicles of similar size and driving performance.

Toyota first started selling hybrid vehicles in the UK with the launch of the original Prius in 2000 and it has since sold more than 30,000 Prius models in the UK. The new Toyota Prius, launched in August 2009, has already generated more than 3,000 customer orders in the UK.

Lexus remains the only premium brand in the UK to offer three full hybrids as part of its range: GS 450h, LS 600h and the new Lexus RX 450h. Together, these models will comprise over 45% of Lexus sales in the UK in 2010.

By the early 2010s, Toyota plans to offer 10 different hybrid models in the UK and earlier this year it announced a hybrid version of its C-segment hatchback, Auris.

Due to go on sale next year, the new car marks a critical first step in the company's plans to offer a hybrid version of every model in the early 2020s