Camry and Prius Latest News
Toyota highlights its local hybrid future
23 September 2008 - Toyota's decision to produce Australia's first hybrid car will headline the company's Australian International Motor Show presence in Sydney next month.
This first close-up for local motorists of Toyota's hybrid Camry occurs just more than 12 months before the start of local production.
The display model is a left-hand-drive US-specification car brought specially to Australia for evaluation and public display of Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive technology.
The hybrid Camry and other exhibits will demonstrate Toyota's global hybrid leadership when the Motor Show opens to the public on 9 October.
Joining the hybrid Camry on the stand will be the Hybrid X concept, which provides a vision for the future of Toyota and its Hybrid Synergy Drive technology.
The stand will also feature Prius, the world's best-selling hybrid, which has reached global sales of 1.1 million, including almost 11,000 in Australia.
Toyota Australia will begin manufacturing hybrid Camry sedans at its Altona plant from the beginning of 2010.
The petrol-electric hybrid will offer more performance while using less fuel than a conventional petrol Camry - and it will also emit less carbon dioxide.
The hybrid Camry benefits from a four-cylinder petrol engine and a high-voltage motor which are controlled by computer to ensure they work together in the most energy-efficient way.
Toyota Australia plans to produce 10,000 hybrid Camry sedans a year in addition to the existing four-cylinder Camry and V6 Aurion sedans produced at the Altona plant in Melbourne's west.
At launch, Toyota will be the first and only carmaker in Australia selling a locally-built hybrid car.
Toyota's global vision is to sell one million or more hybrid vehicles annually as early as possible after 2010.
Prius helps Toyota top hybrid awareness survey
12 September 2008 - Australian motorists view Toyota as the company doing the most to bring new technologies to market, according to an independent survey carried out by global research organisation Synovate.
The survey, made up of 500 respondents, was conducted before Toyota announced plans to manufacture hybrid Camry locally from 2010.
Toyota recently sold its 10,000th Prius in Australia. Globally, Toyota expects to be selling one million hybrid vehicles a year in the next decade.
The Synovate report ranked Toyota the highest among all automotive brands for reliability, environmental friendliness and fuel efficiency.
The survey found ratings for two leading German luxury car brands "are also consistently high, however not to the same extent as Toyota on average".
The survey said there is a significant sentiment towards petrol electric hybrid vehicles such as Prius, and that most consumers would consider a petrol-electric hybrid.
Forty per cent said they intended to purchase a conventional petrol vehicle, while 24 per cent intended to buy a petrol-electric hybrid. This was the next highest response.
"The survey results confirm that Toyota is a leader in delivering the technology to market, and the majority of buyers have trust in the brand's capacity to produce reliable products," Toyota Australia's senior executive director sales and marketing David Buttner said.
Toyota highlights hybrid battery recycling program
26 August 2008 - Toyota Australia has had a recycling process for the battery packs of its hybrid-technology vehicles for more than seven years.
The process was put in place ahead of the Australian launch of the world's first mass-produced hybrid, the petrol-electric Toyota Prius, in 2001.
Toyota Australia senior executive director sales and marketing David Buttner said Toyota distributors around the world ensured a battery recycling system was established at the time of launching hybrid vehicles in each market.
The hybrid Camry, to be produced in Australia from 2010, uses the same type of battery as in Prius - nickel-metal hydride.
Toyota dealers are the central collection points for batteries, which are then transferred to certified Toyota recycling partners in Australia and overseas at no additional cost to consumers.
The recyclers used by Toyota Australia are certified to ISO14001. The local recycler is also licensed by EPA Victoria.
The battery's plastic, metal and copper wire are recycled locally while circuit boards and battery elements are exported for recycling.
Recycling requirements have been provided to customers, emergency services, automobile clubs and industry bodies including the Auto Parts Recyclers Association of Australia.
Roadside assistance and emergency services have also been informed on how to handle hybrid vehicles in the case of a vehicle breakdown or accident.
"Toyota's hybrid batteries are designed to last the life of the vehicle," Mr Buttner said.
"We have sold more than 10,000 hybrid vehicles in Australia. The performance of the batteries has been outstanding, with some Prius already achieving more than 350,000km.
"We have only had to replace 17 batteries in seven years; of these, three have been recycled and the rest used for research and training here and overseas.
Australian Prius sales top 10,000
13 August 2008 - A young couple determined to lower their fuel bills and vehicle emissions has bought the 10,000th Toyota Prius sold in Australia.
Information technology manager David Balkin and council worker Shannon Larkin said the petrol-electric Prius hybrid supported their lifestyle.
Mr Balkin said he and Shannon tried to reduce their carbon footprint as much as possible - and were happy to save on fuel bills at the same time.
"Having a Prius is central to that strategy because we drive quite a lot," he said. "With petrol around $1.60 a litre, it costs us about $70 to fill the tank - and we've been getting about 900 kilometres from that without running empty."
The couple was initially surprised that the environmental advantages of Prius came without practical penalties.
"Prius drives exactly like a normal five-seat car. We are delighted at how well it went on our first big drive," Mr Balkin said.
"It powers along steep sections of highway quite effortlessly and it's great around town - although the silent electric motor can be a bit eerie at first.
"I also liked the fact that there's plenty of space in the back. You can fold the back seat right down - and there are plenty of compartments to store our bits and pieces."
Ms Larkin said it was important to support technology that supported other lifestyle choices they had made to reduce carbon emissions. "It was an easy decision for us to choose a Prius," she said.
With total sales of more than one million, Prius is the world's best-selling hybrid car. Since Prius was launched in Australia in October 2001, local sales have risen every year - including an increase of 10 per cent so far in 2008.
Toyota announces Australian hybrid production
10 June 2008 - Toyota Australia will begin manufacturing a hybrid Camry sedan at its Altona plant from the beginning of 2010.
Toyota Motor Corporation President Mr Katsuaki Watanabe reported the decision to introduce hybrid manufacturing to Australia to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd at a meeting in Nagoya, Japan earlier today.
Toyota Australia plans to produce 10,000 hybrid Camry vehicles each year for the domestic market. This will add to the existing four-cylinder Camry and six-cylinder Aurion vehicles produced at the Altona plant located in Melbourne's west.
The hybrid Camry is currently produced in Japan and the United States.
Toyota Australia President and CEO Mr Max Yasuda said he was delighted to have secured production of Australia's first local hybrid, believing that customers would welcome the introduction of an Australian hybrid Camry.
Toyota's decision is the culmination of an intensive study conducted during the past year which included discussions with the Federal and Victorian governments.
"We acknowledge that the Federal and Victorian governments have a strong desire to see new, environmentally friendly technologies introduced to Australia.
"Both governments continue to provide strong support to the Australian automotive industry and can share in this historic announcement which is positive for Toyota, local car manufacturing and the Australian community," Mr Yasuda said.
Ten Hybrid Facts
- Hybrid Camry and Prius have specially designed four-cylinder petrol engines working in tandem with an electric motor. The combination boosts performance, reduces fuel consumption and produces fewer emissions.
- The petrol engine automatically switches off when the car is stationary (such as at traffic lights) or when coasting or travelling downhill.
- Hybrid Camry and Prius recharge themselves while driving.You never have to plug them into a power point.
- Energy that would normally be lost when braking or coasting is converted to electricity and stored in a sealed battery, for use when required.
- Hybrid Camry and Prius can be driven for short distances on electric power only. This is particularly useful in stop-start traffic, for reducing emissions in your garage and for quiet entry or exit through your neighbourhood.
- In all other respects, hybrid Camry and Prius are fully specified normal cars capable of seating five adults comfortably. They drive like regular automatic cars, use regular unleaded fuel and have large luggage capacities.
- Toyota has adopted numerous safeguards, including automatic disablement mechanisms to ensure safety in the event of an accident. Prius hybrids have been on Australian roads for seven years and Toyota is not aware of any personal injury related to hybrid or electrical systems.
- The battery is designed to last the life of the vehicle. It is kept at an optimum charge level, which gives it an extended life.
- Toyota is the world leader in hybrid vehicles with sales of more than 1.5 million. The one-millionth Prius was sold in April 2008. Total Australian sales of Prius are expected to reach 10,000 later this month (June 2008).
- Toyota is committed to developing hybrid systems as a core technology. Globally, the goal is to reach one million hybrid sales per year during the 2010s. Toyota 's worldwide goal is to approach zero impact on the environment in all our activities, including vehicles and production. While we can never achieve zero impact, we always strive to do better - and hybrid technology is an important part of that effort.
Toyota's Hybrid Milestones
| Year | Month | Hybrid milestones |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | March | Unveiling of the Toyota Hybrid System |
| Dec | Prius launched in Japan | |
| 2000 | Nov | Cumulative Prius sales top 50,000 vehicles |
| 2001 | Dec | Prius launched in Australia |
| 2002 | Mar | Cumulative worldwide sales of hybrid vehicles top 100,000 |
| Aug | Cumulative Prius sales top 100,000 vehicles worldwide | |
| 2003 | Apr | Unveiling of the Toyota Hybrid System II |
| Sep | Prius completely redesigned | |
| Oct | Second-generation Prius launched in Australia | |
| 2004 | Jan | Prius wins North American Car of the Year award |
| Nov | Prius wins European Car of the Year award | |
| 2005 | Oct | Cumulative worldwide sales of hybrid vehicles top 500,000 |
| 2006 | Apr | Cumulative Prius sales top 500,000 vehicles worldwide |
| 2007 | May | Cumulative worldwide sales of hybrid vehicles top one million |
| 2008 | Apr | Cumulative Prius sales top one million worldwide |
| 2008 | Jun | Announcement: Toyota to build a hybrid car in Australia |
