Toyota has announced it plans to sell 20,000 hybrids in Europe this year.

Tadashi Arashima, chief executive of Toyota in Europe, expects sales to get a boost this year from the advent of new diesel engines that are popular with European customers.

"In the long run, hybrids will play a significant role in the model line-up, but for the time being still, the recognition of the hybrid drive is not so high in Europe so we are gradually trying to increase these sales," he told Reuters.

Referring to Toyota's official forecast of a near-doubling of 2005 Prius sales to 15,000 units in Europe, Mr Arashima announced: "My personal goal is instead of 15,000, 20,000."

Hybrid vehicles twin a combustion engine with an electric motor and battery in which the act of braking captures lost energy, enabling it to save fuel and emit fewer pollutants.