Toyota Camry Hybrid Batteries Power are now Part of Yellowstone National Park

New system is on- line at Lamar Buffalo Ranch, Zero Emission Energy System Is Now Online.

System Features 208 Re-used Camry Hybrid Batteries

Toyota and Yellowstone Park have recently started the zero-emission energy system that will power the Lamar Buffalo Ranch field campus. This system will apply recycled Toyota Camry Hybrid battery packs and solar power generation for a reliable and sustainable power source. The result is reliable, sustainable zero emission power for the ranger and education center for the first time since it was founded in 1907.

The partnership that was announced in June 2014 between Toyota, Indy Power Systems, Sharp USA SolarWorld, Patriot Solar, National Park Service and Yellowstone Park Foundation, is a creative effort to extend the useful life of hybrid vehicle batteries while providing sustainable power generation for one of the purest areas in the United States.

Solar panels will generate the energy and sustainable electricity will be stored in the 208 used Camry Hybrid nickel-metal hydride battery packs, recovered from Toyota dealers across the United States. 

“Through our long-standing partnership with Yellowstone National Park and the Yellowstone Park Foundation, Toyota has helped preserve Yellowstone for future generations,” said Jim Lentz, chief executive officer, Toyota North America.   “Today, our relationship with Yellowstone continues, as more than 200 battery packs that once powered Toyota Camry hybrids have found a new home on the range.”

Annually, the solar system generates enough electricity to power six average U.S. households for a year, or plenty of power for the five buildings on the Ranch campus. 85kWh of hybrid battery storage guarantees constant power as the system charges and discharges.

The Yellowstone is the first to use recovered hybrid vehicle batteries for commercial energy storage. All the batteries are tested. There are new components designed and built by Indy Power Systems specifically for this use, containing an onboard battery management system for each battery pack. This all helps maximize battery life and will also supply important insights into real-world performance. These insights will help Toyota improve battery performance and endurance in the future.

“Toyota’s innovative response to solve a difficult problem has helped Yellowstone move closer to its goal of becoming the greenest park in the world,” said Steve Iobst, acting superintendent of Yellowstone.

By the end of their life, hybrid batteries contain certain power storage capacity. Toyota has strong hybrid battery recycling program in place and one of this efforts is the Yellowstone project. The Lamar Buffalo Ranch is one part of Toyota's actual work with Yellowstone National Park and the Yellowstone Park Foundation, including providing hybrid vehicles to support park operations, green building expertise and financial backing for the Old Faithful Visitor Education Center, which opened in 2010.  

“As exemplified by the Lamar Buffalo Ranch project, Toyota’s mission-driven philanthropic focus and expertise in sustainability will make a difference in Yellowstone for generations to come,” said Karen Bates Kress, president of the Yellowstone Park Foundation.

https://youtu.be/meVQGp8h5aI

Toyota as the host in North Texas on First-Ever Supplier variety event for Local Women and Minority-Owned Businesses

Toyota hosted the first ever North Texas supplier variety event in North Texas at Dallas,Plano, at Marriott, Legacy Town center. The name of the event was “Power of Exchange 2015”. This

valuable forum was held in order to connect Women Business Enterprises (WBEs), local Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) with Toyota's Tier I suppliers, and supported approach  to Toyota's sales services, such as marketing and other professional services. 

“We look forward with great anticipation to our move to Plano and are always looking for new business partners to further Toyota’s commitment to diversity,” said Bonnie Clinton, Chief Procurement Officer for Indirect Procurement at Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.  “Toyota has long appreciated the important role that women and minority-owned companies play in our supply chain.  As we build ‘One Toyota’ in North America, we firmly believe that networking, learning and harnessing the economic power of a diverse range of businesses will enable Toyota and the communities we serve to grow and flourish.  We very much enjoyed this opportunity to meet the local community and lay foundations for meaningful relationships in our new home."

The event included morning session of education, other panel discussions that provide attendees with an overview of what are elements of  working with Toyota’s business partners.

In April 2014, Toyota declared that it would establish new headquarters in Plano, for its North American operations as a part of series of moves all in order to better serve the customers and also important thing position the company for tenable, long-term growth.

Toyota’s three separate North American headquarters for manufacturing, sales and marketing, and corporate operations will relocate to a single, state-of-the-art campus in Plano. This will influence nearly  4,000 employees.

 

Toyota and Morgan Spurlock together in mission to make people like hydrogen cars

Maybe too aggressively, but Toyota is pushing hydrogen as a reasonable alternative fuel. So, Toyota has pushed an award-winning documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock to show how calling hydrogen fuel cell vehicles “bullsh*t” isn’t far from the truth.    

“Fueled by Bullsh*t” is the first online video in a multi-part “Fueled by Everything” series in order to educate and teach about creative and innovative ways of how hydrogen fuel can be made from  renewable sources. The 3 minute Spurlock directed part features how  a dairy farmer and mechanical engineer follow cow manure  from a mooing supply source to its ultimate use in powering the hydrogen fuel cell electric Toyota Mirai.

“This project gave us the opportunity to dive into a world that most people don’t understand but has the potential to change our world,” said Spurlock.  “Witnessing manure, something most of us view as being pretty disposable, being transformed into hydrogen fuel to power a car was pretty remarkable.  I think this short film is pretty compelling evidence of what could be possible in the years ahead.”

Apart from the high quality droppings, hydrogen can be made from other renewable energy sources the wind, biogas, solar power, etc. This kind of method leads to the conclusion that a domestic and locally sourced fuel can power the Mirai while emitting only water vapor from the tailpipe.   

The campaign is being launched through the Toyota Mirai website (www.toyota.com/mirai) and other payed online media support. Also on the site there are explanations from scientists and experts in this field, concerning scientific development of fuel hydrogen process. The content will appear across Toyota social media, other partner sites, like Forbes.com, You Tube, Hulu.

           

“We’re putting hydrogen in the spotlight for its exciting potential as a renewable fuel source,” said Bob Carter, senior vice president, automotive operations, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. “This is the beginning of the road for hydrogen, but we see the potential and we’re making a long-term investment in the future.”

The Mirai is four door mid – sized and it takes for re-fueling five minutes, and a distance of up to 300 miles on a full tank. The car will go on sale in California later this year.

This campaign was made together with creative agency Droga5. Visit video and other information on the site:  http://www.toyota.com/mirai/fueledbyeverything.html

Toyota to provide a hydrogen-powered pace car

The 2016 Mirai is the first fuel cell car to pace the field for Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond

Fans of NASCAR who attended the Saturday night's race in Richmond on 25^th April, at International Raceway, were pleased to see a vehicle of a completely different type leading the pack of 43 racers around the track. The front end of the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway was a whole lot quieter, though, because the 2016 Toyota Mirai made its debut as a pace car there.

The Mirai became the first hydrogen fuel cell vehicle to ever pace a NASCAR race and led the cars to the green flag for that Saturday night's Sprint Cup round.

Apparently, pace cars need to be subjected to testing by NASCAR, as Toyota says the 2016 Mirai had to be checked to meet certain requirements. Either way, the Mirai was approved for pace car duties the day before the race. The Mirai is a quiet, eco- friendly car and does not have so much in common with other loud V-8 racecars of NASCAR.

"Having a hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle pace the Toyota Owners 400 is a historic moment for both Toyota and NASCAR, and we're proud it's the Toyota Mirai," said Ed Laukes, vice president of marketing, performance and guest experience, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. “Bringing the Mirai to Richmond to pace this important race is another way for Toyota to showcase our innovation and environmental leadership.”

The Mirai is a four-door, mid-size sedan using no gasoline and emitting nothing but vapor. 

It is the second time that Toyota has used the NASCAR platform to promote hybrid and alternative fuel technology. In 2009, the automaker selected the Toyota Camry Hybrid to serve as the official pace car for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Toyota directly provides pace cars at 12 of the 23 tracks introducing NASCAR Sprint Cup series events. The Mirai was used only for Saturday night's race on 25th April; the Camry Hybrid was used during Friday's NASCAR XFINITY Series race and the Toyota Care 250.

“There are a number of fronts that we're trying to make sure that we're communicating and building on, and sustainability and green is a hallmark of our NASCAR brand now,” said Brent Dewar, Chief Operating Officer for NASCAR.

“… Every day is a green day; it should be for fans and for us. This really allows us to have a platform to tell the story and we kick it off this week around Earth Day. But we do it 365 days a year.”

“We're real proud of our ethanol green initiative that we have with our renewables and with the Sunoco Green E15 cars and the American Ethanol renewable resource.”

“Then with our partner Toyota, to draw attention to an emerging technology that they've been working on. Beside hybrids and electric vehicles, we're going to show the world how a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle operates in a race ... leading our Sunoco green cars.”

Toyota is proud to be at prominence of environmental tenable – and the Mirai pace car showcases this commitment. Toyota continues to cultivate new breakthroughs in plug-in, electric and hydrogen fuel cell technologies, having more than 2 million hybrid vehicles on the U.S. roads, more than any other manufacturer.

The 2016 Mirai will first arrive to buyers in California later this year.

Toyota’s New Tiny Turbo four-cylinder in New Engine Lineup

Only 1.2 liters big, the 8NR-FTS aims to be greedy rather than fun. The 8NR-FTS will see duty first in the Japanese-market Toyota Auris, but there's no telling where it will end up next. Europe is a good chance. Also, it's unclear whether Toyota will decide to federalize it, with that decision dependent on complex calculations by Toyota bean counters and regulatory experts.

Toyota is showing its second turbocharged entry in line of new engines with extremely improved thermal and fuel efficiency. The new 8NR-FTS 1.2-liter direct-injection turbo engine will be available as an option for the partially redesigned Auris, which already went on sale.

Furthermore, the 8NR-FTS is up to 36 percent thermally efficient, granting it a leading level among mass-produced gasoline engines.

Toyota also added VVT-iW, its proprietary intake variable on- and- off device timing, to let the four-banger use the Atkinson cycle depending on engine load. That’s the ignition cycle in which thermal efficiency is enhanced by making the expansion ratio larger than the compression ratio thus improving fuel efficiency.

This turbocharger is a simple single-scroll design. Nevertheless, Toyota claims that the engine will be relatively responsive and efficient.

Regardless of the hybrid success, Toyota is aware that vehicles with conventional powertrains still represent the majority of vehicles sold. Continually developing environmental performance across its entire vehicle lineup, Toyota aims to offer a portfolio of environment-friendly vehicles that meet the various needs of consumers.

 8NR-FTS Main Specifications:

Displacement	1,196 cc
Bore/stroke ratio	71.5×74.5 mm
Compression ratio	10.0
Maximum output	85 kw (116 PS)/5,200-5,600 rpm
Maximum torque	185 N･m (18.9 kgf･m)/1,500-4,000 rpm

Toyota Gifony Create Music Videos from Assembly Lines

 Exceptional Backstage Pass to How a Toyota is Made  

The news is that Toyota is now giving drivers an insight into the manufacturing process with a new program called Toyota Gifony, which allows users to create their own videos using sounds and visuals from the Corolla production lines in Blue Springs, Mississippi, and Georgetown, Kentucky.

The DJ is you! It’s the 2015 Toyota Corolla rolling off the production line in its own “Gifony” remix.

Toyota Gifony (www.Gifony.com) offers users an exceptional backstage pass to beyond belief world of high technology, people-powered machines and music to let you see how your car goes from a coil of steel to what’s parked in your driveway.
 

This is one really ingenious marketing scheme for the Toyota Corolla. The program offers a total of 45 gifs, which users can watch, hear and combine in order to create a unique video made solely from the sounds and sights of the assembly line. Consumers can either choose to share these videos via Facebook and Twitter, or just download the tracks using SoundCloud.

“We really noticed the sights and sounds, and how exhilarating and energizing the plant itself was,” explained Zoe Zeigler, assistant manager for corporate marketing at Toyota. “We thought, wow, there’s a really great opportunity here to show our customers and fans and music enthusiasts just how a Toyota car goes from a coil of steel to what’s parked in your driveway.” It is fun to play around with Gifony and create different tunes.

Consumers are able to create their own songs selecting their favourite gifs and equivalent sounds, like doors being drilled into place (the bass), sheets of steel being stamped into parts (the drums) or team member collabos (lyrics).

“We wanted to give people a rare glimpse at the story behind how their favourite Toyota cars are made,” said Marjorie Schussel, corporate marketing director at Toyota.“ Gifony allows users to experience the thrill of stepping into one of our 10 U.S. manufacturing plants for the first time and entering an exhilarating world of sounds, energy and activity.”

Toyota has collaborated with one of the popular DJ SoNevable in order to produce his own Gifony, to be promoted on his You Tube page, and also across his social media.

Gifony was developed in cooperation with Toyota's advertising agency 360i, ahead with sound engineers from Search party. All sounds and visuals were recorded along with the congregation process at Toyota's manufacturing plant in Blue Springs, Mississippi and Georgetown, Kentucky.