Hybrids have long been central to Toyota's reputation, but in a recent significant shift, the automaker's worldwide electric-car sales have more than doubled.
Here's what to know
Battery-electric vehicles rely entirely on electricity, while hybrids still use gasoline. September sales of battery-electric models rose 120% year over year for Toyota and Lexus, reaching 42,117 vehicles, according to EV Powered.
Toyota and Lexus sold roughly 200,000 fully electric vehicles during 2025. Their January-through-September total has already exceeded that figure, reaching 309,766 — a 127% increase over the same period in 2025.
The reporting-period tally in Japan reached 23,500 vehicles, reflecting a 4,311% sales increase in Toyota's home market.
Just three fully electric models made up Toyota's lineup at the start of 2025. The company has been expanding that selection as sales rise.
More background
September extended the automaker's run of declining overall vehicle sales to three consecutive months, with a 2.2% drop from a year earlier, EV Powered reported.
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China recorded 23.7 million new-car sales in 2025, but the expected 2026 total was about 5 million lower — a steeper decline than anticipated. Toyota pointed to that market, where sales had been falling for eight months, as a major reason for its overall sales weakness.
Toyota is still exploring hydrogen fuel cells, and hybrids remain a priority even as its battery-electric business grows.
What's being done?
The smaller C-HR+ crossover adds another size option to Toyota's electric range. Other introductions include a heavily revised bZ4X and an estate-bodied version of its family SUV, the bZ4X Touring, according to EV Powered.
Toyota has also introduced its first fully electric Hilux pickup. Its compact Urban Cruiser arrived in 2025 following joint development with Suzuki.
The ES executive sedan has joined the RZ SUV in Lexus's lineup.
For shoppers looking to switch to an EV, the expanded lineup offers a wider selection of fully electric vehicles from Toyota and Lexus.
China will be the first sales market for a forthcoming, still-unnamed all-electric Lexus SUV, with Japan to follow. Lexus plans to begin building the vehicle in 2027 at a new factory in Shanghai.
Where can I learn more?
These articles add context to the trend of Toyota's electric-car sales rising even as overall sales fall, and to how it's reshaping its manufacturing plans.
• Toyota's global sales have fallen as Chinese buyers turn to local electric-car brands.
• Toyota recalled 10,000 electric C-HRs after a software glitch could cut power while driving.
• A Michigan battery campus has started producing NMC cells for Toyota EVs and LFP for storage.
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