Toyota Announces Environmental Action Plans in Europe

TOKYO―TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) announced today its Environmental Action Plan for Europe, which includes specific details on what the company plans to accomplish in helping prevent adverse impact upon the environment.

The action plan for Europe is based on the Toyota Environmental Action Plan, which was announced in 1996. However, it is also a plan of specific programs that take the unique environmental issues of Europe into consideration.

Toyota's Executive Vice President in charge of research and development, Akihiro Wada, announced the Environmental Action Plan for Europe at a press conference in Paris. Wada indicated Toyota's aggressive stance toward environmental action when he said, "Toyota believes protecting the environment must be a top priority at every stage of a vehicle's life cycle-fom manufacturing, through use and finally scrapping. We sum up our philosophy with the words, 'Total Clean.' And our activities in Europe will be based firmly upon this premise."

At the press conference, Wada said that the new Yaris, planned for introduction in Europe next spring would incorporate variable valve timing-intelligent (VVT-i) technology and would achieve fuel economy of about 5.6 liters per 100 km. In addition, he said Toyota would offer an Avensis with a common-rail direct-injection diesel engine in 1999. Both the Yaris and the Avensis will meet Europe's Step 3 exhaust emissions regulations, which will go into effect in 2000. He also stated that Toyota planned to introduce the world's first mass-produced hybrid sedan, the Prius, to Europe in 2000.

Where manufacturing is concerned, Wada said that Toyota's French plant, which will go on line in 2001, will be top level among European factories in terms of energy conservation, and that it would challenge to produce zero landfill waste. Toyota's programs for recycling will include cooperative action with Volkswagen.

The main points of the Toyota's Environmental Action Plan for Europe are attached.