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Toyota wins back-to-back
World Green Car awards
The plug-in version of the Toyota Prius
petrol-electric hybrid car has been named the
winner of this year’s award, announced at the
2017 New York International Auto Show.
Last year, the award went to the Toyota Mirai
fuel-cell sedan - a remarkable zero-emissions
car with all the convenience of today’s
conventional vehicles, yet it runs on hydrogen
instead of petrol or diesel.
This year’s award for the plug-in Prius, also
known as Prius Prime, was based on more
than its excellent fuel economy and low
tailpipe emissions.
A key consideration was the use of a major
advanced power plant technology (beyond
engine componentry) aimed specifically
at increasing the vehicle’s environmental
responsibility.
Judging for the World Green Car began with
an entry list of 12 new vehicles, which was
culled to three finalists. The Prius outpolled
Tesla Model X and Chevrolet Bolt in the final
vote.
Accepting the winner’s trophy, group vice
president and general manager of Toyota
division in the United States Jack Hollis said
the World Green Car award was a great
honour.
“For global automakers like Toyota, this
award is a testament to our focus on
developing products that both stir the
emotions and meet the mobility needs of our
customers in all corners of the world,” Mr
Hollis said.
Toyota, which has positioned hybrid
developments as core environmental
technologies for the 21st century, has sold
more than 10 million hybrid vehicles including
more than 95,000 in Australia.
Prius is the world’s best-selling hybrid vehicle
with almost four million cars sold since it was
launched in Japan in late 1997. Sales have
topped 20,000 in Australia.
The Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050,
announced in 2015, aims to help reduce
the negative impacts of automobiles on the
global environment to as close to zero as
possible, and to contribute to the creation of a
sustainable society.
“Hybrid” encompasses all of the component
technologies necessary for the development
of vehicles with reduced environmental
impact, from battery-electric to fuel-cell
hydrogen vehicles.
Toyota is no stranger to the World Car
awards, now in their 13th year. In addition
to Mirai’s win last year, Toyota Prius earned
“Top Three in the World” status in 2010 for
both the World Green Car and the overall
World Car of the Year categories. The Toyota
86 was a “Top Three in the World” finalist for
the 2013 World Car of the Year; the Toyota
iQ for the same category in 2009; and the
Toyota Harrier Hybrid for 2006 World Green
Car.
Vehicles in all award categories are selected
and voted on by an international jury panel
comprising 75 senior automotive journalists
from 23 countries, including five Australians.
Toyota has confirmed its global leadership in automotive environmental
responsibility by winning the World Green Car award for the second year in a row.
DSI Undergroundmoves
ahead withToyota forklifts
A manufacturer and supplier of specialist components for the mining sector has
returned to using Toyota forklifts and reach trucks at its factory and warehouse in
New SouthWales’ Hunter Valley.
DSI Underground purchasing officer Jeffrey
Prest said after using forklifts from another
maker for a number of years it was good to be
back with a proven brand like Toyota.
“Toyota is a trusted and well-respected forklift
brand and we’re very happy to be running a
Toyota forklift fleet again,” he said.
DSI Underground has a range of Toyota forklift
equipment, including four-wheel battery-electric
and internal combustion counterbalance forklifts
in payload capacities from 2.5 to 7-tonnes, and
three Toyota BT Reach Trucks.
“The feedback from the forklift operators is
positive too. They often comment on the fact
that the Toyotas offer a much smoother ride
than our previous forklifts. That’s an important
factor when you’re driving on a rough surface
all day.”
Mr Prest said the service and support offered
by the team at the Toyota Material Handling
Australia branch at nearby Beresfield has been
another advantage of returning to Toyota.
“I know I can call Allan Peacock (TMHA area
sales manager) at our local branch at any time
and he and the team are always ready and
available to help.”
DSI Underground’s smaller battery-electric
Toyota forklifts and reach trucks are used for
light duties in its factory and warehouse. Its
three- to five-tonne payload forklifts are used
to load and unload containers, while its heavy-
duty 7-tonne payload forklifts have the capacity
to move containers around the site.
The heavy duty forklifts come with Toyota’s
independent fork positioning feature that
enables adjustments to be made to the width of
the forks from the driver’s seat.
“That’s a really good feature to have,” Mr
Prest says. “Apart from being faster and more
convenient for the operator it also lessens
the risk of injury that could be caused if the
adjustment needed to be made manually.”
Mr Peacock said DSI Underground’s forklift
fleet is also protected and its efficiency
monitored by Toyota’s I_Site fleet management
system.
“Toyota’s forklift fleet management software
contains security features including a
personalised PIN code access to each forklift,
and it monitors the forklift fleet to give a
snapshot of the business’ forklift productivity.
“This information can then identify under-
utilised forklifts, upskilling needs opportunities
for particular operators or where there may be
bottlenecks in the operation.”
DSI Underground is Australia’s largest
manufacturer and supplier of specialist strata
reinforcement and support products to the
mining sectors. It is also a major exporter of
these products to the Asia-Pacific Region.
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