Tokyo

Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday that it aims to sell a record 10.77 million automobiles worldwide in 2020, including vehicles made by subsidiaries Daihatsu Motor Co. and Hino Motors Ltd.

The figure, exceeding the group’s global sales forecast of 10.72 million units for 2019, will mark an all-time high for the fourth consecutive year and top 10 million units for the seventh straight year.

The Toyota group expects to sell 2.26 million units in Japan in 2020, down 3.8 percent from the 2019 forecast, and 8.5 million units abroad, up 1.7 percent.

Global sales at Toyota itself are seen climbing 0.7 percent to 9.75 million units. The leading Japanese automaker projects sales in the domestic market at 1.56 units, down 3.7 percent, with a public relations official citing “effects, albeit limited, of the consumption tax rate hike” to 10 percent from 8 percent in October this year.

Toyota’s overseas sales are forecast to rise 1.6 percent to 8.19 million units, aided by strong demand in the European and Chinese markets.

The group’s sales of electrified vehicles around the globe, including hybrid vehicles, are forecast to reach 2.31 million units next year, up from 1.93 million units projected for this year and passing the two-million mark for the first time. Demand for such green vehicles is expected to grow rapidly as countries around the world introduce stricter environmental regulations.

The group’s worldwide automobile production in 2020 is expected to climb 0.9 percent to 10.9 million units, with overseas output accounting for 6.49 million units, up 4.3 percent.

Toyota’s own domestic production is projected to fall 5.3 percent to 3.24 million units, but will remain above the three-million threshold, deemed necessary for keeping the company's current labor force at around the present level.

Jiji Press