Toyota Hybrid: Australia's First Green Car

Motoring Channel Staff - 10/June/2008

Melbourne, Australia — Toyota will today announce a new plan to build Australia's first home-grown hybrid car.

Update: It's official, Toyota will build Australia's first hybrid car, the Camry sedan, in early 2010.

It's Altona plant in Victoria will be the place of manufacture, and 10,000 vehicles will be built annually to be sold in Australia.

Toyota's President Mr Katsuaki Watanabe conveyed his company's decision to start building hybrid cars in Australia directly to the Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, at a meeting in Nagoya Japan today.

"We decided to build the Camry Hybrid in Australia because Australians are keenly aware of environmental issues including global warming, and we are confident that the Camry Hybrid will be well received," said Toyota President Mr Katsuaki Watanabe, one of the global car industry's most powerful men.

"Toyota intends to make further efforts toward popularizing hybrid vehicles," added Mr Watanabe at the press conference in Japan, which was attended by the Australian PM and the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Kim Carr.

Update: The Australian government has pledged to subsidise Toyota, who will build the new hybrid Camry, to the tune of  $35 million. 

The money will come from the Rudd Government's Green Car Fund.

Australia will Japan and the United States as the only countries building the hybrid Camry.

At home, Toyota Australia's President and CEO Max Yasuda was very pleased with the news. His company released a document stating the decision was "the culmination of an intensive study conducted during the past year which included discussions with the Federal and Victorian governments".

Mr Yasuda said, "We acknowledge that the Federal and Victorian governments have a strong desire to see new, environmentally friendly technologies introduced to Australia.

"Both governments continue to provide strong support to the Australian automotive industry and can share in this historic announcement which is positive for Toyota, local car manufacturing and the Australian community," Mr Yasuda said.

Local pricing for the new vehicle is still to be determined, but one thing is certain - it will revolutionise the Australian car manufacturing industry and open the doors for other manufacturers to pursue hybrid vehicles.

There has been recent reports that Holden is developing a hybrid car to be released around 2011 which could also take advantage of the Australian governments commitment to reducing its CO2 outputs by adopting locally-made hybrid cars in government fleets.

If the new hybrid Toyota Camry is like its American counterpart, the petrol engine would switch off entirely at low speeds and initiate the electric motor which can reduce fuel usage. 

At present the current Camry uses 9.9L/100km, which could drop by 40% to around 6.0 litres of fuel per 100km travelled.

At present Toyota Australia builds the 4-cylinder Camry and 6-cylinder Aurion in Australia at it's Altona plant. 

Adding a hybrid Camry to the list of vehicles made in Victoria at Toyota's Altona manufacturing plant will probably result in the replacement of thousands of Holden and Ford vehicles in government fleets.

The Australian government may also plan a number of incentives for private buyers at the turn of the decade to promote the adoption of hybrid cars. This could be similar in form to the current $2,000 LPG rebate.

Currently there are two affordable hybrid cars on sale in Australia, the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic Hybrid, which cost around $40,000 and $35,000 respectively to get on the road.

Toyota Australia could offer its new Camry hybrid for around $35,000 in Australia, while offering more passenger and luggage space than the Prius or the Civic Hybrid.

Lexus also offers three hybrid models - the GS450h, LS600hL, RX400h - but these are more expensive luxury vehicles.

The Toyota Camry hybrid will pave the way for other petrol-electric and possibly even purely electric, zero emission vehicles to be manufactured in this country as parts suppliers would spur technology development in Australia.

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