As fuel costs rise, an increasing number of motorists and businesses are looking at hybrid technology as a way of reducing their expenditure and carbon footprint.
Toyota has recently announced that it has delivered its 400,000 hybrid to European customers.
The car was an Auris, built at the manufacturer's Burnaston factory in Derbyshire and it was delivered to a fleet driver of CTG – an IT company in Belgium.
Businesses in the UK who are thinking about making the switch from vehicles that are powered by petrol and diesel to one that uses the new technology, but are unsure about the practicalities could consider car leasing. Hiring a hybrid allows firms to see if they can make the advantages work for them and avoid the expensive upfront costs associated with purchasing new cars.
The Auris hybrid is the first to be manufactured in Europe and, along with the better known Prius, has helped raise the profile of the low-carbon technology.
Michel Gardel, vice-president of communication, external and environmental affairs at Toyota Motor Europe, said: "We are very proud to deliver our 400,000th hybrid in Europe. It shows that European customers are not only ready to consider a hybrid vehicle purchase, but for Toyota, they have been doing so in large numbers – in fact ten per cent of our sales in Europe were hybrid vehicles last year."
Toyota states it has now delivered more than 3.5 million hybrids to motorists across the globe and estimates that has reduced carbon dioxide emissions by a collective 23 million tonnes.
Green initiatives and sustainability form a key part of the Japanese company's business plans for the future. Its £11 million Jemeca Enfield centre recently achieved an Excellent rating from global environmental assessment company BREEAM.
The building uses a biomass boiler and was designed to make maximum use of natural sunlight.