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Platinum: Toyota Prius is a million seller and on its way to the second million as the hybrid era dawns. (Photo courtesy of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.)

TOKYO — Sales of the Toyota Prius, the first mass-produced hybrid, which has attracted a cult following of Hollywood celebrities for its geek-chic eco-friendly image, have passed the 1 million mark worldwide. Toyota made the announcement on Thursday, noting that it “aims to sell 1 million or more hybrid vehicles annually as early as possible in the 2010s.”

Toyota said, for the record, that sales of the Prius hit approximately 1,028,000 units on April 30. It described sales of the hybrid as “robust in more than 40 countries and regions, particularly in Japan and North America.”

Toyota also noted that Prius vehicles worldwide “have contributed to a reduction in CO2 emissions (considered a cause of global warming) by producing approximately 4.5 million tons less CO2 when compared with gasoline-powered vehicles in the same class and of similar size and driving performance.”

Prius is said to mean “to go before.” Toyota has said it chose this name because the Prius is the precursor of cars to come. The Prius, which went on sale in North America in 2000, has become the darling of such celebrities as Larry David, Leonardo Di Caprio and Cameron Diaz. It has been described as a “fashion statement” by Art Spinella, a consultant at CNW Marketing Research.

Toyota’s Open Road blog this week noted that the EPA will determine which vehicles lawmakers in the U.S. will be allowed to lease soon, according to new energy legislation. “We’d imagine that hybrids such as our Prius probably will be represented there,” it said. The Prius went on sale in Japan in 1997.

What this means to you: It took only 11 years to hit the million mark. With gas prices where they are, we suspect the 2 million milestone will come even faster for Prius. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent