At a time when the U.S. economy is not exactly winning awards, the hybrid automotive market just keeps steaming along, breaking sales barriers everyquarter and winning new converts along the way. Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. reported its latest sales figures late last week, and the data was nothing short of astounding. Compared with May of 2011, overall car sales were up a whopping 72 percent, according to you Larry Bell of My Perfect Automobile Blog.

Keep in mind that the 72 percent number is for all cars. When statistics for hybrid vehicles are broken out separately, the results are astronomical. Compared with the same period last year, Toyota's hybrid vehicles sold 200 percent more in 2012, with a total of 29,069 hybrids sold in the most recent measuring period.

Toyota Division group vice president and general manager, Bob Carter, thanked the customers for this recent round of good news, and pointed to the success of both the Camry and Prius family of vehicles as the sales leaders for the company. Calling recent unveilings part of "the most aggressive product launch in our history," Carter looks toward continued success from the entire lineup of Toyota's new models. He also alluded to the overall recovery of the automotive market as one more reason that Toyota's sales number should continue to improve.

With most of the major car makers coming out with hybrid offerings either this year or next, Toyota can take credit for initiating the trend, but at the same time will have more competitors as the decade unfolds. Already, Volvo is set to introduce a much-anticipated plug-in hybrid, which features high-end styling and a diesel rather than gasoline engine. Regardless of what its competitors do, Toyota is definitely back on track after a couple of difficult years.

For more information about Toyota's full line of hybrid cars and trucks, and all of its environmental efforts, see the company's official corporate website: https://www.toyota.com/about/environment/hybrids/index.html

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