We thought we'd take a page out of David Letterman's book in honour of Earth Day, and take stock of how we're living up to our environmental commitments with our very own Top 10 list. Our focus on innovation and technology to shape the future of sustainable mobility continues to be a pillar of our organization. Here's a list of Top 10 Environmental Leadership facts and figures about Toyota:

10. In 2009, Toyota and Lexus introduced 11 new products that deliver on the promise of making things better for our customers and the environment. In 2010, Toyota and Lexus have already each introduced a new more fuel efficient model to their respective vehicle line-ups.

9. As of 2009, and each year moving forward during their life cycle, Toyota vehicles save a minimum 7.5 million litres of fuel and 18,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions through the use of hybrid technology, improved engine and transmission efficiency, smaller engines and 2-wheel drive options.

8. The Lexus RX 450h - with unsurpassed hybrid power, performance and luxury - produces 295 total system horsepower with the same fuel consumption as the 1.8L Corolla.

7. Toyota Prius and Yaris were named 2010 ecoENERGY award winners by Natural Resources Canada's Office of Energy Efficiency for the 10th and 5th straight years respectively for continuing to set the benchmark for fuel efficiency in their categories.

6. 2010 Toyota Prius received the MotorWeek Drivers' Choice Award for "Best Eco-Friendly vehicle".

5. Not only are we committed to raising the bar in terms of sustainable mobility for consumers, we're also applying these principles to the manufacturing side or our business. For example our Japanese Tsutsumi plant's extensive use of solar power provides half the electrical energy required to operate the site - one of many ways the plant reduces its carbon footprint.

4. Since Toyota introduced hybrid vehicles in 1997 (in Japan; 2000 in Canada), we have sold over 2 million hybrid vehicles worldwide, more than 47,000 of which have been sold in Canada.

3. This year, we have introduced the production model of the Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid vehicle. Five of these vehicles are part of the first Canadian program - in partnership with governments, academics, cities and power authorities - to test the all-new Prius Plug-In Hybrid under real-world operating and climate conditions as part of Toyota's global trial.

2. Lexus remains the world's first and most extensive line-up of luxury hybrid vehicles.

And the Number 1 Environmental Leadership facts and figures about Toyota?

Looking ahead, Toyota's strategy is to offer a wider variety of conventional hybrid choices to its customers, as it begins to introduce plug-in hybrids (PHVs) and battery electrics (BEVs) in model year 2012, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCHVs) in 2015 in global markets.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

           

 

Toyota Announces Comprehensive Plan to Fix Accelerator Pedals

 

By end of this week, owners of recalled vehicles and customers awaiting new vehicle delivery will have access to remedy for recalled vehicles

 

Toronto, ON, February 1, 2010 - Toyota Canada Inc., (TCI) today announced it will begin fixing accelerator pedals in recalled Toyota Division vehicles by the end of this week.  Toyota's engineers have developed a solution that involves modifying the pedal assembly to eliminate the excess friction that has caused the pedals to stick in rare instances.  

 

Toyota Canada announced, on January 21, it was recalling approximately 270,000 Toyota vehicles equipped with a specific accelerator pedal assembly and suspending delivery of the eight models involved in the recall on January 26.  The company also announced that Toyota would stop production of the affected models on North American production lines for the week of February 1 allowing the company to focus on fixing vehicles for customers whose models are involved in the recall.   

 

Toyota vehicles affected by the recall and delivery suspension are:

-Certain 2009-2010 RAV4

-2009-2010 Corolla

-2009-2010 Matrix

-2005-2010 Avalon

-2007-2010 Camry

-2010 Highlander

-2007-2010 Tundra

-2008-2010 Sequoia

No Lexus Division or Scion vehicles are affected by these actions. Also not affected are Toyota Prius, Tacoma, Sienna, Venza, Solara, Yaris, 4Runner, FJ Cruiser, Land Cruiser, Highlander Hybrids and certain Camry models, including Camry Hybrids.

Should a driver experience a sticking accelerator pedal while driving, the vehicle can be controlled with firm and steady application of the brakes.  The brakes should not be pumped repeatedly because it could deplete vacuum assist, requiring stronger brake pedal pressure.  The vehicle should be driven to the nearest safe location, the engine shut off and a Toyota dealer contacted for assistance.  Although the accelerator pedal action may return to normal, NO further attempt to drive the vehicle should be made. 

 

Information and answers to questions about issues related to this recall are available to customers at www.toyota.ca and at the Toyota Customer Interaction Centre at 1-8888-TOYOTA-8.

 

How Toyota Will Fix Recalled Vehicles

Toyota has pinpointed the issue that could, on rare occasions, cause accelerator pedals in recalled vehicles to stick in a partially open position.  The issue involves a friction device or lever, in conjunction with a spring in the accelerator pedal assembly, that is designed to help control the force necessary to depress the pedal and the return force necessary to release the pedal to allow for smooth operation of the accelerator pedal.  Due to the materials used, wear and environmental conditions, surfaces may, over time, begin to stick and release instead of operating smoothly.  In rare instances, the friction of the accelerator pedal may increase to a point where the accelerator pedal may become harder to depress, slower to return or, in the worst case, become stuck in a partially depressed position. 

 

Toyota's solution for current owners is simple, effective and quick to deploy.  A precision-cut steel reinforcement bar will be installed into the assembly that will reduce the surface tension between the friction shoe and the adjoining surface.  With this reinforcement in place, the excess friction that can cause the pedal to stick is eliminated.  The company has confirmed the effectiveness of the newly modified pedals that had previously shown a tendency to stick.

 

Click Here to read more about this news alert.

CLICK HERE: to read this article.

Please click here to view Yoichi Tomihara's speech to the chamber of commerce.