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Corporate Social Responsibility
News
8.01.2005 ET
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Highlights of Toyota's Environmental Progress
Toyota Environmental Update, August 2005
(CSRwire) Our goal is to keep you informed about our worldwide progress on
environmental matters. Thank you for your interest in Toyota's efforts to
become a greener automaker.--Irv Miller, Group Vice President,
Corporate
Communications Department, Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. More about
Toyota's environmental efforts can be found at www.toyota.com/environment
Toyota is maximizing the use of RAV4 EVs
Toyota has a policy to keep RAV4 EVs in service for as long as they are
sustainable. As a full electric zero-emission battery-powered vehicle,
RAV4 EV played an important role in the lineup of Toyota's environmentally
responsible vehicles. RAV4 EV has served as a rolling laboratory to help
test key technologies that have been incorporated into Toyota's hybrid
vehicles that are now widely available to consumers. It featured advanced
nickel-metal hydride batteries, a reliable electric drivetrain, an early
form of energy-saving regenerative braking, and a computerized power
management system.
Toyota shares the commitment to keep environmentally advanced vehicles on
the road as long as practical. Therefore, Toyota is communicating about
its policy on supporting the U.S. RAV4 EV fleet. The policy includes
procedures for sales and leasing, recycling, spare parts, and more. Some
elements of this policy are new, but most have been in effect for years.
Highlights include:
RAV4 EVs are not being removed from service based solely on age or
lease expiration.
If the vehicle in operation is sustainable, Toyota is offering fleet
lessees lease extensions as their leases expire. Retail lessees may renew
their leases, purchase their RAV4 EVs, or return them, at their option.
RAV4 EVs that are returned to Toyota and are determined to be
supportable and safe to operate will be put back into service. They may
enter the Toyota company fleet or be donated to community groups,
including national and state parks. Determination of the usability of
returned RAV4 EVs will be based on overall condition and the status of
specific parts and systems such as the battery pack, inverter, and
charging components.
RAV4 EVs that are taken out of service will undergo a thorough
recycling process to maximize recovery of materials while reducing
exposure of substances of concern.
Toyota is planning to make more replacement parts available for RAV4
EVs, some new, and perhaps some used.
Toyota sponsors UN World Environment Day
Toyota was a sponsor of the 33rd annual United Nations World Environment
Day, held in San Francisco, with Prius designated as the event's official
car. The urban environment was the focus of a weeklong series of
activities culminating in the creation of a plan for a sustainable urban
future to be called the San Francisco Urban Environmental Accords.
Conference themes were energy; transportation; waste and the built
environment; food, air, and water; and urban biology and green space.
Toyota Port Newark facility receives environmental recognition
Toyota Logistics Services' Port Newark (N.J.) Vehicle Distribution Center
was rededicated in May after a $20-million expansion. The Port Authority
of New York and New Jersey, which leases the 83-acre site to Toyota,
praised Toyota for its voluntary environmental initiatives at the Port.
These include electrically powered RAV4 EV shuttles for transportation
around the facility; filtering of all storm water prior to draining into
the bay; a strict no-idling policy; and a 90-percent recycling rate for
trash and materials.
Toyota supports Corporation for the Northern Rockies' (CNR)
Sustainability Fair
Toyota was the 2005 Signature Sponsor of CNR's annual Sustainability Fair
in Livingston, Montana. The fair showcased sustainability-focused
products, vehicles, and fuels. Toyota exhibited its hydrogen-powered Fuel
Cell Hybrid Vehicle and presented a talk on advances in automotive fuel
cell technology.
Toyota hybrid vehicle newsletter is available online
The latest quarterly newsletter on Toyota hybrid vehicles can be seen at
www.HybridSynergyView.com.
For questions or information, contact Cindy Knight at (310)
468-2170 or by e-mail at cindy_knight@toyota.com.
Produced by Robert Oberhand & Assoc., Chatsworth, CA, in conjunction with
Toyota Corporate Communications Department.
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