Hiroshi Okuda, Prius champion at Toyota, dies at 93

Former Toyota head Hiroshi Okuda, who was credited with championing the Prius hybrid and helping turn the Japanese automaker into a global company, has died aged 93, Toyota said Wednesday.

Okuda became Toyota president in 1995, when the company was struggling, and was the first person from outside the founding family in decades to take the role. He pushed products including the RAV4 and Prius.

The Prius became the world's first mass-produced petrol-electric hybrid. Okuda also oversaw the opening of Toyota factories abroad as the company later overtook General Motors as the world's largest automaker by vehicle sales.

Okuda also headed Japan's Keidanren business lobby and served for years as a close government adviser. Toyota confirmed his death to AFP but gave no further details.