Toyota Motors Corp. will reportedly increase production of its popular hybrid vehicle, the Prius by up to 50%, or 300,000 units by 2007, according to Japan’s business daily, the Nihon Keizai. Toyota is aiming to further dominate the hybrid car market in which it already enjoys a sizeable advantage over other hybrid car makers. Hybrid cars, which offer a combined conventional engine and an electric motor for added fuel mileage is now a main alternative to cars with internal combustion engine.

The Prius is currently the top selling hybrid vehicle today, especially in North America where concerns about the rising gasoline prices and the effect of vehicle emissions to the climate are now decisive factors when buying a new car. Last June, Toyota has announced that it will double the number of hybrid cars in its model lineup. Currently, there are seven Toyota models with the hybrid system. Toyota expects to sell a million Prius cars annually soon after 2010.