In a sign that we are now starting to accept the changing motoring landscape, Toyota is on track to sell one million hybrid vehicles in a calendar year worldwide for the first time.

A record 630,048 Toyota and Lexus hybrids were sold in the first six months of the year, which is more than the total number of hybrids sold in 2011.

The recently expanded Prius family, the hatch, C city car and V seven-seater, accounted for nearly 75 per cent of the sales.

Toyota and Lexus have sold more than 4.2 million hybrid vehicles (which has resulted in 26 million tonnes less CO{-2} being emitted into the atmosphere) with the Prius, which first went on sale in Japan in 1997, accounting for more than half of those sales.

Toyota Australia spokesman Matthew Callachor said the early decision to develop hybrid vehicles had proved to be an unparalleled success story.

"Hybrid vehicles are now at the stage of being mainstream vehicles noted for their performance, fuel efficiency and quiet driving," he said.