Toyota’s Prius hybrid has all but revolutionized the automotive landscape by offering people a viable alternative to everyday transport and by making hybrid power an easy transition for consumers who thought that alternative power was out of their reach. After it’s initial success, other companies scrambled to catch up and release hybrids of their own. None though, have made the cultural impact that the Prius has. When people think hybrid, an image of a Prius pops in their heads.

So it is no surprise that Toyota’s little hybrid that could has reached the coveted 1 million sales mark. Worldwide cumulative sales of the Toyota Prius have passed the 1 million mark, with approximately 1,028,000 units sold as of the end of April this year.  Currently, Prius sales are quite strong in more than 40 countries and regions, particularly in Japan and North America.

Based on sales figures collected up to April 30, 2008, Toyota Motor Co. believes that Prius vehicles worldwide have contributed to a reduction in CO2 emissions (considered a cause of global warming) by producing approximately 4.5 million tons less CO2 when compared with gasoline-powered vehicles in the same class and of similar size and driving performance. Impressive figures that really drive the point of the Prius home. It’s no wonder that it’s sold so many, it is the standard when it comes to hybrids. 1 million people can’t be wrong, right?