Toyota wants to become Europe’s greenest automaker with the Auris Hybrid

Toyota Auris Hybrid

Toyota Motor Europe is looking to overtake Fiat as Europe’s low-CO2 champion. To knock Fiat off the top as the greenest automaker in Europe, Toyota is counting on its new UK-made Auris hybrid, which it started producing Monday at its Burnaston factory.

“Toyota definitely wants to become Europe’s greenest automaker,” Willy Tomboy, Toyota Motor Europe environmental affair director, told Automotive News Europe.

Deliveries of the Toyota Auris Hybrid start this July and the Japanese automaker hopes to sell 14,000 units this year. It expects to more than double that volume to 30,000 a year in 2011.

The Auris Hybrid is expected to account for a quarter of the model’s total sales in Europe.

– By: Stephen Calogera

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)