Toyota to launch two hybrid cars in China this year

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp , the world's largest automaker by sales volume, plans to launch two hybrid cars in China this year as part of efforts to launch vehicles that will help to reduce pollution in the country.

The gasoline-electric hybrid cars, called Levin Hev and Corolla, will be launched in China in the second half of the year, the Japanese company said on Sunday on the eve of the Shanghai autoshow.

Toyota's joint venture with Guangzhou Automobile Group (2238.HK) will make the Levin Hev, while its joint venture with FAW Group will manufacture the Corolla.

China has been the world's largest car market since 2009, with sales rising 6.9 percent to 23.5 million vehicles in 2014, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said in January.

(Reporting by Sue-Lin Wong; Writing by Lee Chyen Yee; Editing by David Goodman)