3.01.2007 - 05:28pm ET

(CSRwire) Toyota hybrids win awards; Camry Hybrid shares Motor Trend Car of the Year

Motor Trend has named the redesigned entire Camry line, including Camry Hybrid, as its 2007 Car of the Year. Camry Hybrid combines a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine with an electric drive motor for a total output of 192 horsepower and an EPA estimated fuel economy rating of 40 mpg/city, 38 mpg/highway.

Green Car Journal, a magazine that reports on advanced transportation, has named the 2007 Camry Hybrid its Green Car of the Year. One of the jurors, Jason Mark, vehicles director for the Union of Concerned Scientists, said, "The Camry not only protects the planet, it protects consumers' pocketbooks. It's one of the most cost-effective hybrids on the market."

Motor Week, a weekly television program that appears on PBS and the Speed Channel, has awarded its Driver's Choice Awards in the Eco-Friendly category to the entire Toyota Hybrid line: Prius, Camry Hybrid, and Highlander Hybrid. The awards ceremony will be broadcast on PBS outlets on Feb. 10 and on Speed TV Feb. 13.

Exhibit on hybrids and alternative fuels travels the U.S.

Toyota's Highway to the Future: Mobile Hybrid Experience, an interactive exhibit designed to educate the public on hybrid vehicles, hybrid technology, and alternative fuels, has begun an 18-month U.S. tour. Through interactive displays and test drives, consumers will learn about the Hybrid Synergy Drive®, Toyota's current hybrid line, and the environmental benefits of hybrids and alternative fuel vehicles. A unique registration ID bar code allows visitors to track their interactive quiz answers through the exhibit and compare their results to those of other visitors. Toyota is partnering with the National Arbor Day Foundation to plant 50,000 trees to help offset the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide footprint of the trucks used to transport the exhibit.

Toyota lift truck division displays the first fuel cell-powered forklift

Toyota Material Handling USA has developed a prototype of the industry's first fuel cell lift truck. Using hydrogen as its main power source, the Toyota FCHV-F produces electricity without combustion and generates zero carbon dioxide emissions. The truck's constant power delivery and performance make it ideally suited to operations in large distribution centers where lift trucks often run continual 24-hour shifts. Toyota plans to bring a fuel cell lift truck to market in the next few years.

Hybrid sports car and healthy lifestyle concept vehicles debut at auto shows

Toyota introduced a new high performance hybrid sports car concept at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The Toyota FT-HS has a 400-horsepower hybrid powertrain featuring a 3.5-liter V6 engine. The front-engine, rear-drive two-plus-two concept has a projected 0 to 60 mph time of four seconds. The FT-HS is conceived to be an environmentally sensitive mid-priced attainable exotic sports car. Toyota displayed the RLV (Renewable Lifestyle Vehicle) concept at the December Los Angeles Auto Show. It is a micro-sized open-canopy lightweight two-seater. Featuring an automatic electric drive, the RLV also allows the driver to hydraulically pedal the car in stop-and-go traffic, on the sidewalk, or on the beachside boardwalk. This concept demonstrates how a vehicle can facilitate a health-oriented active lifestyle in an urban environment.

Toyota facilities succeed in environmental education and waste reduction

Concerned with the volume of auto glass going into landfills, Ernie Lopez and Roger McMullen of the Los Angeles PDC performed lengthy research to find a glass recycling company willing to accept windshields and automotive tempered glass parts. Their efforts have resulted in the successful recycling of thousands of pounds of auto glass.

For more information please contact:

Bill Kwong
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

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Corporate Social Responsibility Profile for Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

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