New Year, New Resolutions

It’s a brand new year for all of us. And maybe now you are inking your 2008 resolutions. Same with Toyota.

Earlier, the largest automaker announced its resolutions and initiatives for 2008. Toyota President Katsuaki Watanabe lays down the plans…

Research and Development

Research and development refers to the pursuit of sustainable mobility, and we believe that it is hybrid technologies that will play a central role in achieving this. Toyota has made considerable efforts to promote the use of hybrid vehicles since the launch of the Prius in 1997. To date, we have achieved global cumulative sales of 1.25 million hybrid vehicles (as of November 2007). We estimate that the resulting reduction effect in CO2 emissions is 5 million tons. Our current goal is to achieve hybrid vehicle sales of 1 million units annually as soon as possible in the early 2010s, and, beyond that, we are committed to having a hybrid model in all Toyota vehicle series. Furthermore, we are now conducting verification tests of a plug-in hybrid vehicle in Japan, the United States and Europe and as such, are making steady progress toward commercialization.

Area of Sustainability

We are currently implementing our sustainable plant activities, which emphasize the role of nature in creating production sites that are in harmony with their natural surroundings. The Tsutsumi Plant in Japan where the Prius is manufactured has been positioned as a model plant and these activities are being conducted there.

The main feature of the sustainable plant concept is plant development from the following three perspectives: achieving groundbreaking environmental performance by introducing innovative technology and kaizen (improvement) activities; using renewable energy, including biomass and natural energy sources, such as solar power and wind power; contributing to the local community and conserving the environment by planting trees in and around plants.

Social Contribution

With respect to our social contribution activities that are designed to achieve a sustainable society, we have emphasized hands-on environmental education at the Forest of Toyota that puts participants in touch with nature, with approximately 25,000 children having participated over these past 10 years. We are also conducting vigorous afforestation activities overseas in countries such as China and the Philippines.

The various activities designed to achieve sustainability as we envision it have been entitled the Toyota Tomorrow Project. The Toyota Tomorrow Project incorporates the sentiment of making every possible effort as a company to achieve the prosperous global society of tomorrow. In the name of this vision, we hope to further enhance our activities.

As we observe, things are growing even better – not just for Toyota. And with this new year, enhanced control arm and improved auto parts accessories plus never-ending innovations are on its way.