Two weeks into the rollout of the third-generation Toyota Prius hybrid car in Japan, sales are surging, according to a top dealer in Japan, the Associated Press has reported.
110,000 orders have been placed already; some weeks in advance.
The AP said these figures set the car maker on track to potentially exceed its monthly sales target and possibly make the Prius the top-selling car in Japan. Toyota announced that it is increasing production to meet demand.
The Japanese government has been offering tax exemptions for hybrid cars to encourage sales and recently added a rebate incentive for customers to trade in older cars for green cars.
The news source reports that the Japanese auto market has been suffering for years with declining car sales, which has been worsened by the economic crisis in the United States.