Toyota plans to sell 40,000 hybrid SUVs in 2005

While the Ford Escape Hybrid was the world's first hybrid SUV to market, it will be facing competition soon.

11,000 orders are already in for the Lexus RX 400h hybrid, and similar interest in the Toyota Highlander hybrid is building.

Toyota has recently stated that it anticipates selling at least 40,000 hybrid SUVs this year.

In the past Ford has stated that it would only be able to produce 20,000 hybrid Escapes due to a limited supply of hybrid batteries. At the North American International Auto Show, Ford did announce that the Mercury Mariner would be also be released in a hybrid version this year, a year earlier than originally planned.

I'm sure Toyota's hybrid vehicle momentum had nothing to do with Ford's move.