US: Toyota Plug-In Car Sales Increased Slightly In Q1 2023

Toyota Motor North America (Toyota and Lexus brands) reports that its vehicle sales in the United States, during the first quarter of 2023, amounted to 469,558 units. That’s an 8.8 percent decrease year-over-year.

That drop was related to the Toyota brand, as Lexus managed to slightly increase its sales.

Results in Q1:

• Toyota: 401,306 (down 10.9% year-over-year)
• Lexus: 68,252 (up 6.0% year-over-year)
• Total: 469,558 (down 8.8% year-over-year)

In terms of electrified vehicles (HEV, PHEV, BEV, FCEV) – despite the fact that the number of models increased to 22 – the Japanese group noted a decline in sales here too:

Electrified vehicles xEV (HEV, PHEV, BEV, FCEV):

• Toyota xEV: 100,790 (down 16%) and 25.1% share
• Lexus xEV: 17,861 (up 36%) and 26.2% of share
• Total xEV: 118,651 (down 11%) and 25.3% share

Finally, the plug-in electric car sales improvised in Q1 2023 by 9.8 percent year-over-year to 9,252, which is 2 percent of the total volume.

However, most of that falls on the plug-in hybrids, which noted a decrease in sales. The growth in the plug-in segment is a direct result of the introduction of new all-electric models (Toyota bZ4X and Lexus RZ 450e).

Plug-ins:

• Toyota plug-ins: 8,108 (up 3.7%) at 2.0% share
  BEVs: 1,698 (new) and 0.4% of the total volume
  PHEVs: 6,410 (down 18%) and 1.6% of the total volume
• Lexus plug-ins: 1,144 (up 89%) at 1.7% share
  BEVs: 185 (new) and 0.3% of the total volume
  PHEVs: 959 (up 59%) and 1.4% of the total volume
• Total plug-ins: 9,252 (up 9.8%) and 2.0% of the total volume
  Total BEVs: 1,883 (new) and 0.4% of the total volume
  Total PHEVs: 7,369 (down 12.5%) and 1.6% of the total volume

* Toyota FCEVs: 668 (down 6.6%) and 0.1% of the total volume

For reference, in 2022, the group sold more than 35,000 plug-in electric cars (down 33 percent year-over-year).

The year 2023 potentially might be the best for Toyota plug-in car sales, but nothing is certain at this point.

Models

Without any surprise, the Toyota RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid was the top-selling rechargeable model in the lineup, with 5,416 units (up 3.5 percent year-over-year).

The Toyota Prius Prime noted a decrease of 62 percent to just 994 units because the company is introducing a next-generation version.

Meanwhile, Lexus launched the all-electric RZ 450e (a cousin of the Toyota bZ4X), which noted 185 units. By the way, the Toyota bZ4X noted a new record of 1,698 units. The Lexus NX 450h+ plug-in hybrid noted 959 sales.

Q1 results:

The hydrogen Toyota Mirai noted 668 units (down 6.6%).

Toyota electrified car sales in the US in Q1 2023: