Toyota Motor Collaborates with FirstElement and Linde, hydrogen provider

Toyota said in a press release that it will collaborate with hydrogen provider Linde, which will build a public hydrogen refueling facility at the Toyota San Francisco Regional Office.

"The issue of hydrogen refueling infrastructure is not so much about how many stations; but rather, location, location, location," said Bob Carter, senior vice president, Automotive Operations, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. (TMS), just four months ago at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas where he unveiled a hydrogen fuel cell sedan due to launch in 2015.

"Solutions are being found through collaboration between government, academia, carmakers and energy providers. Stay tuned, because this infrastructure thing is going to happen."

TMS and its affiliate Totota Motor Credit Corp. (TMCC) announced that they have entered into a group of financial agreements with FirstElement to support the long – term operation and maintenance expenses of new hydrogen refueling stations in California.

The assistance and the actual quantity will be based on analysis of the grant award to FirstElement by the California Energy Commission's (CEC) Notice of Proposed Awards (NOPA) announced on 1 May and final authorization of the NOPA, expected in June.

In accordance with the terms of the agreement with Toyota, FirstElement will work to establish an integrated and reliable network of fueling stations across California in target market locations that are certified by Toyota and regular with the California Fuel Cell Partnership Road Map.

"The first few years here in California will be a critical period for hydrogen fuel cell technology," said Carter. "California has stepped up with the offer to invest 200 million dollars to build 100 stations, and through this financial arrangement with FirstElement, Toyota is showing its full commitment to deploy zero emission fuel cell vehicles here in California. Perhaps most importantly, we are showing the future owners of this amazing technology that Toyota is helping to ensure that hydrogen refueling will be available, no matter what car brand is on the hood."

Toyota announced that Linde plans to build a hydrogen fueling station on TMS owned property located in San Ramon. Calif., adjoining Toyota's San Francisco Regional Office and Parts Distribution Center. This location will serve local and regional customers, as well as act as an important connector site between the Sacramento and San Joaquin, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

"This is just a start, but it's the first step in getting to the point in the near future where this technology will move into the mainstream," said Carter.

Toyota presently operates 14 manufacturing plants. There are more than 1,800 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealerships in North America which sold over 2.3 million vehicles in 2012.

Hello Summer: Hello Open Road!

June 21 marked the day we’ve all been waiting for given the long and harsh 2010/11 winter. It’s hard to believe just a mere four months ago we were shoveling snow off our roofs so they wouldn’t collapse under the weight of massive quantities of snow and ice that Mother Nature so graciously dumped on us.

But enough snow talk. Summer is officially here and when we think Solstice, we tend to think road trip, too. Hallejhiah! The time is here to load up the trunk, pile in the kids, and head for the beaches off the New England coast, to the White Mountains, or even further.

Summer is a time to explore the open road, kick back, and relax, and regardless of your destination, your Toyota can get you where you want to go. Here are some tips we at Westboro Toyota recommend to make summer drive time as fun and relaxing as it should be.

Travel at non-peak hours if possible. Summer is the time for roadway construction, so you’re bound to hit some bottlenecks in your travels, but if you on traveling before or after the morning and afternoon rush, you’ll be more likely to sail through those construction zones without all that much idling.

Speaking of idling, it wastes fuel—something given the current price of gas, none of us want to do! If you find yourself stuck in traffic—and we certainly hope you don’t—it’s better to turn the engine off if you’re not going to be moving forward anytime soon. Also, don’t rev the engine, as this, too, is a gas guzzler.

Turning the engine off isn’t the only way to conserve gas. For instance, you also can improve fuel economy by following these simple steps:

Drive the speed limit. If the maximum posted speed is 65 mph, don’t go over that. Driving the speed limit is safer than speeding, which we do not recommend. Plus, it allows you to drive without the worry that you’ll be tagged by a state trooper’s radar gun and pulled over—talk about a summer road trip bummer). And, driving no more than 65 mph can save you about 20 percent in amount of fuel used.

Clean out that trunk. Toyotas have great cargo space, but the added weight of anything you put there means lower fuel economy because the engine has to exert more power to pull the extra load.

Cruise when you can. Cruise control allows your Toyota to consistently deliver fuel to the engine. Giving the engine a steady flow of gas is far better than the alternative.

Don’t over-accelerate. Gunning the gas pedal can lower your miles per gallon by more than 30 percent—ouch!

Maintain ideal tire pressure. If your tires aren’t inflated to the proper psi, this presents a danger to you as the driver, your passengers, and other vehicles on the road. Tires and brakes are a vehicle’s crucial safety mechanisms. Poor tire pressure adversely affects your car, truck, or SUV’s ability to corner and brake, as well as its overall stability on the road. Under-inflated tires also may cause additional fuel loss—you can wave bye to about 3 percent of gas as the result of poor tire pressure.

Before embarking on your summer jaunts, come on in to Westboro Toyota for a quick filter oil change. We’ll rotate your tires and perform a 21-point inspection, both complimentary with the oil change, for the low price of $34.95 plus tax. Visit http://westborotoyota.com/Specials.aspx and scroll down to the offer to print your coupon today.

Above all, have a safe, sun-filled, and fantastic summer. After this past winter, we all for sure deserve it!