Toyota Honoured As Car And Van Manufacturer Of The Year In LowCVP Awards

Toyota’s leadership in reducing the environmental impact of everyday motoring has helped secure it the title of Car and Van Manufacturer of the Year in the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership awards, presented at a ceremony in London last night.

The roll call of LowCVP’s Low Carbon Champions also includes Graham Smith OBE, Managing Director Toyota Motor Europe London Office, who was named Outstanding Individual in Promoting Low Carbon Transport. He was the founding chairman of the UK LowCVP from 2003 to 2009 and remains a member of its board of trustees.

Announcing the awards, Andy Eastlake, LowCVP Managing Director, said: “In a year of outstanding growth in UK car sales, Toyota, the name synonymous with hybrids, has introduced the technology across the widest range of vehicles on the market. Thirty per cent of its sales are now of vehicles which produce less than 100g/km of CO₂.

“With an impressive increase in its sales and market share, together with a UK CO₂ average below 120g/km, this really does show Toyota’s strong determination to reduce carbon from cars.”

Commenting on Graham Smith’s achievements, he added: “To reduce our carbon impact the whole transport industry and every person involved must support the cause. In Graham Smith we have a tireless advocate and champion of the benefits to UK business of a low carbon focus for the industry. Graham’s personal commitment and impartial support throughout his career is a model for us all.”

Graham Smith said: “Low carbon, low emission vehicles are important not just for the environment but also for the economy, for UK manufacturing and in reducing the motoring costs of retail and fleet buyers alike. LowCVP has played a central role in delivering these benefits and Toyota has maintained its support throughout.

“As the first Chairman of LowCVP, I’m proud personally to have been associated with the Partnership since its launch in 2003.”

Toyota is committed not only to reduce the CO2 emissions from its vehicles, but from every aspect of its business. A large scale carbon reduction programme has been implemented across the 180-strong Toyota Centre network, which achieved a 15 per cent year-on-year CO₂ reduction in 2012.

In the past year Toyota has launched four new hybrids in its strategy to make the low carbon, high efficiency benefits of the technology available to as wide a range of customers as possible. As well as low CO2 performance, these vehicles produce almost no NOx or particulate matter, emissions which impact on air quality,

The newcomers include the seven-seat Prius+ and Yaris Hybrid, which have the distinction of being the first full hybrids in their market segment in Europe. The year also saw the introduction of the new, British-built Auris hybrid hatchback, and Prius Plug-in,Toyota’s first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. Hybrids aside Toyota has continued to reduce the emissions and improve the fuel efficiency of its petrol and diesel powertrains across its model range.