Toyota Motor Philippines is celebrating a decade of Prius with a renewed push for its Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) technology which is seen as the first step towards a more sustainable future.

As a global entity, Toyota has developed its own gasoline-electric hybrid technology since the 1990s. They are the first car manufacturer to overcome the technical and engineering nuances that prevent this unique powertrain from being mass-produced. In 1997, the Toyota Prius was launched in Japan and the United States, making it the first-ever hybrid electric vehicle to be publicly available to consumers.

Locally, the second-generation Prius arrived in June 2009. Like its global counterpart, the Prius became the pioneer of hybrid electrification in the Philippines, giving motorists an alternative option. The hatchback Prius C model followed suit in 2012.

The Prius is known for harnessing power from two sources: a gas engine and an electric motor run by a self-charging battery. This combination makes the model fare better with fuel economy and riding comfort.

“As the younger generation becomes more environment-conscious, we feel like it is the perfect time to educate them about eco-friendly technologies readily available to us,” said TMP Vice President Ms. Elijah Marcial. Various Toyota efforts using the Prius help people understand the long-term and cumulative benefits of using hybrid electric technology.

In the Philippines, Toyota regards hybrids as the ideal transition phase towards electrification: “Hybrid electric vehicles will be our initial step for a more sustainable future. Given the local landscape, HEVs are undeniably the smart and practical way to usher change in the auto industry,” said TMP First Vice President Ms. Cristina Arevalo.

To build on this awareness-into-action initiative, TMP is mounting several efforts such as the holding of a Toyota HEV Conference which will bring together technical experts, key government officials, the academe, and several NGOs.