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| The Toyota Prius Hybrid-Electric Car cut-out display at the Toyota Hybrid Technology Conference held on May 29, 2019 at the Grand Hyatt Manila, Bonifacio Global City. |
Hybrid-electric mobility will change our lives. The fact is, it has been here for the past 10 years when Toyota hybrid-electric-vehicles (HEV) were first introduced in the Philippines. Lifestyle change, education, and simple love of the environment are just some of the the ingredients that could make any ambitious project of the future possible. But, is the Filipino ready for this? Can we afford it? Or are hybrid-electric cars only for the elite, just like how we choose organic from the ordinary produce? The constant changing of consumer patterns need to be addressed in order to have a realistic sustainable mobility management.
You see, the ingredients for this scenario have been around for some time now. But of course, the Philippines is a far cry from Norway, where in 2018, nearly half of all newly licensed cars had a hybrid-electric, or plug-in fully-electric drive system. Which follows that there are now more charging stations than petrol stations. It sounds futuristic, doesn't it? But let's face it, the future is here, right now.
Steps are being made for Filipinos to understand and adapt the future of electric mobility, including automobile manufacturers. Though, these car manufacturers cannot do it alone. A framework involving the government and private sectors working together is ideal.
Setting an example, governments around the world have launched ambitious programs to promote electric mobility. They focus on these core areas: expansion of the charging infrastructure, buying incentives for customers as well as electric vehicles in government-agency fleets. Cooperation between power and infrastructure companies with car manufacturers are crucial in making fully-electric cars work in the Philippines.
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| Toyota reinforces long-term solutions for a greener and more energy-efficient local automotive landscape. |
Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) in its global initiative to steer the company as a sustainable mobility provider, Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) reinforced its call to position vehicle electrification as one of its long-term solutions for a greener and more energy-efficient local automotive landscape.
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| Speakers at the conference were from left, Mr. Yukio Yoshida, Vice President Technical External Affairs Division of Toyota Daihatsu Engineering and Manufacturing, Dr. David Go Toyota Motor Corporation (TMP) Vice Chairman, Undersecretary Rafaelita Aldaba of the Department of Trade and Industry, Mr. Satoru Suzuki, President of Toyota Motor Philippines, Mr. Vince Socco, Executive Vice President of Toyota Motor Asia Pacific, and Atty. Glynda Bathan Executive Director of Clean Air Asia. |
The recent Toyota Hybrid Technology Conference with the theme “TOWARD SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY” was successful in their efforts to openly discuss the consequential effects of HEVs in the local and current landscape, aimed at promoting wider adoption of hybrids as the future of local transportation. The well-attended conference was held on May 29, 2019 at the Grand Hyatt Manila.
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| Mr. Satoru Suzuki, President of Toyota Motor Philippines. |
“Toyota has a whole range of electrified vehicle (xEV) technology that can help achieve sustainable mobility goals. But xEV popularization depends on many factors and varies by market. Based on current Philippine conditions, it is most appropriate to start with HEV popularization in order to accelerate the reduction of emissions and fuel consumption,” said Mr. Satoru Suzuki, President of Toyota Motor Philippines during his keynote address.
TMP’s stance on hybrid electric technology is strongly supported by the environmental philosophy of the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050, aimed at eliminating Toyota’s carbon emissions by the next three decades.
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| Mr. Vince Socco, Executive Vice President of Toyota Motor Asia Pacific. |
“Toyota is committed to be a part of the solution ahead of future challenges with “Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050”, where People, Cars and Nature can co-exist in harmony. Towards this direction, Toyota challenges ourselves to achieve not just ZERO environmental impact but also a NET POSITIVE impact on Earth and Society,” said Mr. Vince Socco, Executive Vice President of Toyota Motor Asia Pacific.
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| Toyota Hybrid Electric Vehicle Evolution as presented by Mr. Satoru Suzuki, President of Toyota Motor Philippines. |
Toyota aims to propel the country into this paradigm shift through its lineup of self-charging Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV). Toyota officials and tech experts suggest that hybrid is currently the most suitable electric vehicle platform for the local market.
Partnering with government representatives, environment groups, the media, and other stakeholders, TMP has intensified its drive to push usage of its environment-friendly and energy-saving hybrid electric vehicles locally, which in the long run benefits many sectors of society such as energy, transportation, environment, and health.
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| Toyota works closely with Clean Air Asia represented by its Executive Director Atty. Glynda Bathan. |
In the conference, Toyota highlighted the importance of partnership and mutual understanding between the public and private sectors in order to adapt to quickly changing times.
HEVs are widely known to be more fuel efficient than traditional petrol engines, and their self-charging capability require no additional infrastructure to be built in order to seamlessly start the transition. These practical and proven factors make Toyota hybrids the viable option as the Philippine transportation alternative for a sustainable future.
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| Dr. David Go, Vice Chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation welcomes the audience comprised of members of the academe, thought leaders, automotive journalists and motoring media. |
Aside from the conference, Toyota Motor Philippines has special projects lined up for the year to raise public awareness on hybrids, such as educational campus tours in top engineering schools in the country. TMP was the first automotive brand to make hybrid electric vehicles locally accessible in the Philippines with the introduction of the second generation Prius in 2009.
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| The future is here with the Toyota Prius hybrid models. |
Currently, TMP offers two hybrid models in its Toyota vehicle lineup—the Prius and Prius C; and six hybrid models under the Lexus brand—GS 450h,NX 300h, RX 450h, CT 200h, CT 200h F Sport, LS 500h. For Hybrid Batteries, Toyota provides a 5-year warranty. Official plans on expanding this selection to meet consumer and environment demand will be announced soon.
For more information, visit TMP’s official website at www.toyota.com.ph and follow the official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ToyotaMotorPhilippines.
More event photos:
About Arabelle Jimenez.
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| Arabelle Jimenez and Monch Henares are automotive lifestyle writers for the Philippine Daily Inquirer, and authors of their own blog sites, Beautiful Life and Monchster Chronicles. |
