17th October, 2002
The Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources, Mr Ian Macfarlane, presented Toyota with a certificate of Energy Efficiency Best Practice in a recent ceremony at Parliament House. The award is part of the Greener Motoring Program, an initiative supported by the Australasian Fleet Managers Association and the Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources.
It recognises organisations which have achieved significant reductions in greenhouse gases, and is part of a program to reduce the environmental impact of fleet vehicles throughout Australia.
Fleet managers purchase over 50 percent of new vehicles registered annually in Australia.
"Toyota has been concerned about manufacturing and the environment since the early 1960s when it set up its first environment committee," said Vic Johnston, Manager, Alternative Fuel and Specialised Vehicles for Toyota.
"Toyota has consistently surpassed world exhaust emission regulations and will continue to do so. Fuel efficiency has always been a Toyota forte and our new technologies not only save, but also reduce emissions.
"Our research into alternative fuels is also well known and vehicles using those fuels have been developed to the point of commercial viability, such as the Toyota Prius."
Mr Johnston said the LPG HiAce, and the recently introduced LPG HiLux were all examples of fuel efficient vehicles considered the workhorses for many fleet customers.
Toyota has recently launched a new Camry range with a 2.4 litre four cylinder engine which is the most technically advanced Toyota engine in a built-in-Australia car.
It has more power and torque and better fuel efficiency than its predecessor, yet its emissions are less than one third of mandated Australian maximum standards.
"The most visible demonstration of our environmental leadership is the fact that by the end of 2001, 64 percent of the Toyota model range met LEV or ULEV emission levels."
The NSW Government has announced plans to introduce over 200 Toyota Prius vehicles in its fleet, which will save NSW taxpayers an estimated $550,000 in fuel costs over the next two years.*
The Qld and Victorian Governments also have growing numbers of Prius vehicles in their fleets. Many other fleets from business and local government are now using Prius as a demonstration of their commitment to the environment.
The ground-breaking four-door passenger sedan, with its petrol/electric hybrid-engine uses up to 50 percent less petrol than an equivalent sized conventional car and emits half the carbon dioxide on a typical city drive cycle.
*This saving is based on a comparison with a conventionally powered six cylinder car covering 40,000 km over two years at 90 cents a litre (ULP).
