Over 150 cities from 46 countries entered the Challenge after the call to cities was first launched in June 2023 and over the last months, the list was narrowed to 10 and now 3 cities. The City Challenges will be launched for innovator entry over the next two months, inviting global innovators to access a share of $3 million in funding per city to demonstrate their solutions.

Three Selected Host Cities

Venice, Veneto, Italy

Launching 11th June 2024 - Venice is often pictured solely as a historic city famous for its intricate network of canals. Nevertheless, the majority of the population lives and works in the mainland suburbs such as Mestre, Marghera and other motorized islands, which serve as a crucial transportation hub connecting Venice to the mainland and beyond.

With a mobility landscape that is truly multi-modal, including land and water transport, the city has invested significantly in sustainable mobility infrastructure and services. In the Venice City Challenge, the city seeks innovative solutions that shift behavior, encouraging an increased use and adoption of existing sustainable transport modes.

The Venice City Challenge will launch on Tuesday, 11th June 2024.

Detroit, Michigan, USA

Launching on 29th May 2024 – Known worldwide as the ‘Motor City,’ Detroit is working to show the world that sustainable mobility is part of what makes this 'Motor' move by seeking innovators who can help the City deploy clean and cost-effective mobility solutions as part of this transition.

The Challenge is focused on Eastern Market, ​​​​the nation's largest food production and distribution center, where a growing residential and commercial presence means that the City wants to explore solutions that help preserve the health and well-being of the Eastern Market community as it carries through with expansion plans. More specifically, the Detroit City Challenge will seek solutions that reduce fossil fuel use and cut costs of freight operations in the Eastern Market, by increasing efficiencies and unlocking opportunities for clean freight technologies.

The Detroit City Challenge will launch on Wednesday, 29th May 2024.

Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

Launching in late June 2024 - Varanasi is located on the banks of the Ganges River in northern India and is the “spiritual capital” of India. A revered pilgrimage destination, the city sees visitors from across India as well as abroad. This influx of visitors, while vital to strengthening the city’s tapestry of faith and culture, is leading to increased concerns about safety and crowding. The Varanasi City Challenge aims to generate innovative, data-driven solutions incorporating elements of technology and design that make crowded areas of Varanasi's old city (Kashi) safer and more accessible for religious tourists and local residents alike including vulnerable members of the population.

The Varanasi City Challenge will launch in late June 2024.

The Challenge

The three City Challenges will focus on different areas of sustainable mobility relevant to their specific context, spanning the expansion of access to safe, affordable, and inclusive modes of transportation. Potential solutions could harness the power of data to create connected and resilient mobility or ecosystems or reduce environmental impact through low-carbon and renewable solutions.

The three cities have been working with Toyota Mobility Foundation alongside Challenge Works and World Resources Institute (WRI) to finalise their Challenges. They are focusing on areas of their respective mobility barriers that could be best addressed through open innovation. They have been consulting with local organizations and wider stakeholders to inform the design of their respective Challenges.

Innovators from across the globe with solutions ready to be tested are invited to respond to the specific issues of each city as each City Challenge launches over the next two months. The innovative solutions that best meet the needs of the city (or the criteria for the City Challenges), will be selected to be supported. Together, the cities and selected innovators will test, further develop and deploy solutions using real-world data, with access to transportation departments and infrastructure.

The Sustainable Cities Challenge is funded by the Toyota Mobility Foundation and has been designed in partnership with Challenge Works and World Resources Institute to bring cities and innovators together to develop sustainable, inclusive, data-driven mobility solutions fit for the future.

Notes to editors:

All spokespeople are available for interview and further comment. For more information or to book interviews with spokespeople, please contact press-tmf-scc@89up.org.

10 Initial Shortlisted Cities in November 2023:

• Bengaluru, India
• Detroit, USA
• Fortaleza, Brazil
• Medellín, Colombia
• Mexico City, Mexico
• New Orleans, USA
• Seberang Perai, Malaysia
• Varanasi, India
• Venice, Italy
• York, UK

About Toyota Mobility Foundation

The Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF) was established in August 2014 by the Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) to support the development of a more mobile society in which everyone can move freely. The Foundation underscores Toyota’s ongoing commitment to continuous improvement and respect for people. It utilizes Toyota’s expertise and technologies to support strong mobility systems while eliminating disparities in mobility. TMF works in partnership with universities, governments, non-profits, research institutions and other organizations, creating programs that are aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to address mobility issues around the world. 

In the past, TMF has led a range of Challenges, including the global Mobility Unlimited Challenge, CATCH in Malaysia, InoveMob Challenge in Brazil and STAMP Challenge in India. You can find out more about TMF and how it is governed at toyotamobilityfoundation.org.   

About Challenge Works

Challenge Works is a global leader in the design and delivery of open innovation challenges that mobilize diverse, innovative thinkers to solve pressing problems and unlock change. Challenge prizes are a unique approach to funding innovation, offering a series of incentives, with a final prize given to whoever can first or most effectively meet a defined goal. They are public, open competitions which lower barriers to entry to attract the broadest possible community of innovators. Founded by Nesta, the UK’s innovation foundation for social good, they are a social enterprise that has delivered 93 challenges to date and distributed more than £156 million to winning innovators. Visit them at challengeworks.org.

About World Resources Institute

World Resources Institute (WRI) is a global research organization with offices in Brazil, China, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Mexico and the United States, and regional offices for Africa and Europe. WRI’s 1,900 staff work with partners to develop practical solutions that improve people’s lives and ensure nature can thrive. Learn more: WRI.org and on X (formerly Twitter) @WorldResources.

King Philippe was welcomed on his arrival at TME Technical Centre by His Excellency, Masahiro Mikami, Japanese Ambassador to Belgium and Yoshihiro Nakata, President & CEO of TME. The King’s visit started with an explanation of Toyota’s global multi-path strategy offering a wide range of zero and low emission technologies to help decarbonise mobility. The tour of the facility included visiting TME’s Hydrogen Factory where hydrogen fuel cell modules are assembled and integrated into a diverse range of zero emission mobility applications ranging from cars to trucks and maritime products.

The King was chauffeured across the premises to the Design Centre in Toyota’s APM (Accessible People Mover), a wheelchair accessible battery electric vehicle designed at TME to transport athletes and others at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris this summer.  At TME’s Design Centre, the King was shown how best-selling vehicles such as the new Toyota C-HR are designed and developed in Belgium for the European market and was invited to test his skills in the driving simulator.

King Philippe finished his tour of the Technical Centre by meeting a senior group of BJA and TME members to celebrate the close collaboration of Belgium and Japan with a traditional Japanese kanpai!.

*Toyota in Belgium employs around 6,000 people at its Head Office, Technical Centre, European Parts Centre and its National Marketing & Sales Company (Inchcape) and has cumulatively invested approximately €2.2 billion. Beyond its commercial activities, the company is active in wider society working with Serve the City and tree planting in Zaventem.

In October ’21, the 10 most innovative startups were selected from around 150 applications, originating from over 40 countries. Next, these 10 companies went into the bootcamp, which was designed to further hone their business skills and projects. The programme focused on hands-on interactive learning with entrepreneurs, C-level executives and Toyota experts in various areas such as agile product design, working with corporations, talent scouting, Intellectual Property Rights, internationalisation strategy and more.

At the end of the bootcamp in December ’21, 5 winning startups were chosen to proceed to the 6-month final acceleration phase. Using funds granted by Toyota as well as close support from business mentors and Toyota Guides, they developped their Proof of Concepts.

Last week, their year-long journey culminated with a Demo Day pitch in front of investors, media and executives from Toyota and ISDI.

The 5 best innovators of the Toyota Startup Accelerator 2^nd Edition share their takeaways

	The world’s first active wheelchair that fits the standards of an universal cabin luggage size restriction "Toyota Startup Accelerator has helped us take more than one step forward on a clear path towards the most important goal, which is to achieve strategic partnerships, collaborations and PoCs with airlines, athlete organisations and Toyota . This created the opportunity to demonstrate the potential of Revolve wheelchair to early adopters, receive further feedback and make it a market-ready product. In effect, new possibilities open up in terms of business model and future strategy." Andrea Moccelin, Founder & CEO Revolve Wheel
	Enabling massive hydrogen logistics for all kinds of applications  "We aim to revolutionize the hydrogen value chain and decarbonize mobility. The gaseous state of hydrogen makes its storage and transportation difficult. Our liquid carrier is a game changer in this because hydrogen can be transported via the existing infrastructures.” Pierre-Emmanuel Casanova , Co-Founder HySiLabs
	Turning buildings into large scale CO2 capture air purifiers "The Toyota Startup Accelerator has been generating great values and impact for us, from commercializing aspects to connection with a hand-picked team of efficient expert advisors and mentors. They have been helping us a lot to further develop our business and be better prepared to negotiate upcoming large scale projects. This accelerator has also allowed us to implement and validate the 3rd generation of our commercialized panels (GapS 3.0) and related system - that has boosted our growth." Morteza G. Eftekhar, Founder & CEO PurCity
	Platform providing residential charging services in the electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem “The Toyota Startup Accelerator has really helped us think about how to scale our solutions both within our home market, Spain, as well as internationally. Both the expertise we have been able to access and a possible Proof of Concept opportunity with Toyota have been key in our growth plan." James Dress, Chief Sales Officer CargaTuCoche
	Enhancing recycling of complex mixed waste “With Toyota Startup Accelerator we have gained deep insights into the automotive industry, access to critical expert advice and additional PoC data. This is allowing us to further shape our solution to be best fit to unleash sustainability and circular economies for highly complex products." Florian Turk, Co-Founder & CEO Microwave Solutions GmbH

Toyota continues its journey towards happiness for all

About ISDI Accelerator

ISDI Accelerator was founded at ISDI, the leading digital business school in Spain in 2014 with the aim of channeling the entrepreneurial efforts of ISDI students into Europe’s startup ecosystem by facilitating collaboration between public entities, corporations, educational entities, investors, and founders. Since its inception, ISDI Accelerator has developed dozens of incubation and acceleration programs that have helped accelerate hundreds of startups and thousands of companies. ISDI Accelerator appears at the top of the European and global rankings, and in 2019 its IMPACT Connected Car program was chosen as the best startup acceleration project that year by the European Commission.

The cars are available in a new KINTO mobility station located at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, and as all other KINTO-cars, bookable via the KINTO-mobile app.

KINTO is part of Toyota’s global vision to provide all kinds of services related to the mobility of people, all around the world. KINTO Europe, established on 1st of April, was the latest step in the journey from mobility as a project to mobility as a business, with a view of truly delivering ‘Mobility for All’. In Europe, KINTO is already active in 10 countries: Germany, Italy, France, Spain, UK, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Poland, Portugal and is expanding quickly.

Toyota Mirai was first introduced in 2014 in Japan and has been available in Europe since 2016. The second generation Mirai was launched in Europe earlier this year and is equipped with Toyota’s latest fuel cell technology, making it lighter, more compact, more efficient and even cheaper than before. Johan Lundbland comments:

In addition to hosting Full Service Lease activities, KINTO Europe GmbH will also accommodate other KINTO-branded mobility services developed by Toyota. KINTO Europe will oversee services such as car subscriptions, car sharing, car-pooling and multi-modal solutions, tailored to suit businesses, organizations, cities and private individuals.

Towards mobility as a business

As Toyota transitions from being a car manufacturer to becoming a mobility company, KINTO is leading the way to grow the company’s total European business by adding new and innovative mobility services to its core business of manufacturing, selling cars and providing a memorable customer experience. Toyota’s European strong retailer network will continue to play a key role in the ongoing shift from ownership to on-demand usership. Evolving into Mobility Service Providers, they will be uniquely positioned to meet customers’ mobility needs.

KINTO entities in five main European markets

The roadmap includes market by market deployment of KINTO-branded services across Europe. In order to consolidate these ambitious expansion plans and implement the appropriate levels of local mobility services, the company’s five main markets have either established their own dedicated KINTO organisations either they are in the process of registering: KINTO España S.L. (Spain), KINTO Italia SpA (Italy), KINTO Deutschland GmbH (Germany) and KINTO France SAS (France). KINTO UK already exists since mid-last year, after the business acquired Inchcape Fleet Solutions (IFS).

KINTO footprint in Europe

After launching the mobility brand early 2020, moving Europe’s mobility services under KINTO Europe is the latest step in the journey from mobility as a project to mobility as a business, with a view of truly delivering ‘Mobility for All’. KINTO is part of Toyota’s global vision to provide all kinds of services related to the mobility of people, all around the world. In Europe, KINTO is already active in nine countries: Germany, Italy, France, Spain, UK, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Portugal and is expanding quickly.

KINTO will be offering six services:

• KINTO One - all-inclusive leasing service
• KINTO Flex - flexible vehicle subscription service
• KINTO Share – car sharing services, from corporate to public and residential customers
• KINTO Ride – ride-hailing service
• KINTO Join - corporate car-pooling solution for employees
• KINTO Go - multi-modal aggregator, coordinating services such as journey planning, public transport ticketing and parking.

All services will be supplemented by KINTO Protect, a range of mobility focused insurance, warranty and restitution products provided by Toyota Insurance Services (TIS).

KINTO – as in ‘Kintoun’

The KINTO mobility brand has been established as a distinct and dedicated brand to connect and engage with a younger and wider group of customers. KINTO is derived from the Japanese word Kintoun or Flying nimbus, a cloud which provides on-demand transportation for a famous animated character in Japan. Just like Kintoun, KINTO wants to be available every time a customer looks for easy and clever ways to move around, whenever, wherever.

Outline of KINTO Europe

(*) Toyota Fleet Mobility GmbH, established on 4 October 2018, was re-named to KINTO Europe GmbH on 1 April 2021.

Special Guest, Sir Philip Craven

Before the pitch by the startup companies, the more than 90 guests, including TME key executives, private investors and ISDI representatives had the honour to listen to some inspirational words by Sir Philip Craven, former President of the International Paralympic Committee and Member of the Board of Directors, Toyota Motor Corporation.

Applauding the dedicated and strong-willed startup companies, he said:

Accelerator program – boosting the business

At the Demo Day, Prosfit (Bulgaria), Seamless Vision (Israel), SociAbility (UK), Wheeliz (France) and ABLE Human Motion (Barcelona) showcased how their business models have evolved over the past months, by giving evidence of how the Accelerator program has been beneficial to their companies.

Only the beginning

Toyota believes that when people are free to move, anything is possible. Whilst the Toyota Startup Awards may have come to an end with the Demo Day, Toyota’s journey doesn’t stop here. As Toyota is transforming from an automotive to a mobility company, Toyota’s mission is to ‘produce happiness for all’ through its commitment to sustainability that has always been at the very heart of everything it does.

The sustainability strategy builds on the promotion of diversity and inclusion and the desire to nurture sustainable innovation, whilst putting people first. Toyota believes that business and sustainability are mutually compatible goals. Initiatives such as the Toyota Startup Awards are testimony to Toyota’s sustainability strategy that draws inspiration from and aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Toyota Mobility Foundation, established by Toyota in 2014, launched the $4 million global challenge back in 2017 in partnership with Nesta Challenges, in a bid to drive innovation in the field of assistive technologies for people with lower-limb paralysis in a demonstration of Toyota’s mission of Mobility for All and further vision of producing happiness for all.

The Challenge called for talented engineers, innovators, and designers from around the world to submit their designs for groundbreaking devices, integrated with the latest technologies, to enhance the mobility and independence of end users. Over eighty teams from 28 countries around the world entered.

The University of Pittsburgh’s Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL) led the assessment of the entries and provided mentorship alongside a team of Toyota subject matter experts, and the winner was chosen by a panel of expert judges (see Notes to Editors below for details).

Designed by Phoenix Instinct, the Phoenix i uses intelligent systems to automatically adjust its center of gravity, making the ultra-lightweight carbon fiber frame extremely stable and easier to maneuver. It uses front-wheel power-assist to reduce painful vibrations and minimize strain on the user. The chair’s intelligent powered braking system automatically detects when the user is going downhill and adjusts to manage the user’s descent.

The four other finalists were:

• The Evowalk: Evolution Devices (United States) - a smart wearable simulator that goes right below the knee and uses artificial intelligence to support your muscles at the right time aiding in rehabilitating walking and preventing falls for people with foot drop.
• Qolo (Quality of Life with Locomotion): Team Qolo, University of Tsukuba (Japan) - a standing mobility device that integrates exoskeleton and wheelchair functions. It supports the function of standing and sitting with a passive assist mechanism for people with lower limb paralysis.
• Quix: IHMC & MYOLYN (United States) - a highly mobile, powered exoskeleton offering fast, stable and agile upright mobility.
• Wheem-i: Italdesign (Italy) - a wheel-on semi-autonomous electric device that provides ride sharing for wheelchair users. It is primarily designed for micro mobility and is usable on a variety of surfaces.

At its core, the Challenge was developed to highlight the importance of collaboration with end-users and create inventions with the disability community in mind. It supports the UN’s Sustainable Development goals, specifically Goal #10 of reducing inequalities in supporting devices that help people with paralysis better access society for economic, social, educational and other opportunities. Key specifications for choosing the winning invention included devices that will integrate seamlessly into people’s lives and environments while being comfortable and easy to use, enabling greater independence and increased participation in daily life. The judging criteria was based on innovation, insight and impact, functionality and usability, quality and safety, and market potential and affordability.

Around the world, millions of people are living with lower-limb paralysis (the most common causes being strokes, spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis). While there are no statistics on paralysis worldwide, the World Health Organization estimates there are 250,000-500,000 new cases of spinal cord injury globally every year.

While the Covid-19 pandemic has presented automotive businesses and consumers with significant challenges, it has also prompted many people to reconsider their lifestyle priorities. Toyota believes that the opportunities for innovative mobility services today are greater than ever. Demand for smart, flexible mobility is expected to continue to grow, with an increasing shift in emphasis from ownership to on-demand usership. KINTO Europe will be ideally placed to meet these requirements, with services such as car subscriptions, car sharing, car pooling and multi-modal solutions, tailored to suit businesses, organizations, cities and private individuals.

Building our own roadmap

Role of retailers as Mobility Service Providers

Toyota’s European retailer network will continue to play a crucial role. It is Toyota’s ambition to extend its partnership with its retailers to transform them into Mobility Service Providers, building on the unique strength of its long-established business relationships. KINTO will enable them to go beyond their traditional sales and maintenance of vehicles to offer new mobility services that give customers access to the vehicles they want, exactly when and for how long they require, from their existing premises or other locations to suit customer demand.

Diversified KINTO offer across Europe

The KINTO brand was introduced to Europe in January 2020 and KINTO services have since grown in reach and popularity, supported by sustained and reliable investment.

KINTO One is an all-inclusive leasing service that has so far been launched in seven European markets, with more to follow in 2021. It is now established a mid-size player in the fleet management market, with a fleet of more than 100,000 vehicles.

KINTO Share provides wide range of car sharing services, from corporate to public and residential customers. Currently operating in Ireland, Italy, Denmark, Spain and Sweden, these services will be introduced in additional markets, while a KINTO Share service is also being designed for launch through the retailer network.

KINTO Flex is a short-term, flexible vehicle subscription service, allowing KINTO customers to enjoy the full range of Toyota and Lexus vehicles, enhancing the freedom of car ownership by offering access to various car types throughout the year, serving users’ taste and needs – all services and necessary maintenance included.

KINTO Join is a new corporate car pooling solution for employees to create their own private transportation network, launched in Norway and Italy and soon to be delivered in the UK.

KINTO Go, a multi-modal aggregator which coordinates journey planning, public transport ticketing, parking, taxi services and events, is already achieving good results in Italy and plans are under way for its expansion in the short term.

Prosfit (Bulgaria), Seamless Vision (Israel), SociAbility (UK), Wheeliz (France) and ABLE Human Motion (Barcelona) will be attending a “delocalized” premium acceleration and mentoring program led by ISDI Accelerator. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak and seeking to ensure the Health and Safety of everyone involved, all activities have been moved to an online environment.

Toyota Startup Accelerator

Toyota Startup Accelerator will offer to these early-stage companies with strong teams and holding promising technologies, a four-month acceleration program. The startups will be paired with experienced mentors hand-picked to meet their needs, who will guide them throughout the entire program and support them in further developing their ideas. In addition, the teams will be provided access to the rich ISDI and Toyota Motor Europe networks.

The journey kicks off with a training bootcamp involving global presenters who will share their expertise and tips to help the startups with their business needs. The bootcamp covers a wide range of topics such as Culture and Talent, Marketing, Investment, Business and Legal, Sales, Product, Innovation, Internationalization and Agile. The startups will also be initiated in Toyota’s know-how through presentations by TME management on Product Planning and Launch Management, the Toyota Way principles and Research & Development technology topics.

This four-month training will be concluded with a final Demo Day where the startups will be given the opportunity to showcase their products and ideas, in view of a potential future collab

About the startups
	ProsFit has developed and commercialised a solution to provide accessible, affordable and comfortable prosthetics to millions of people who would otherwise find mobility extremely challenging. This enables the delivery of high-quality service provision and community-based rehabilitation in remote areas of low and middle-income countries.
	Seamless Vision is building a robot helping the visually impaired navigate autonomously in urban areas. It guides users throughout the urban landscape, helps them to explore new places and always brings them back home safely. The technology combines multiple sensory systems with deep learning modules that constructs a human-like perception of its surroundings to enable a complete urban autonomous navigation.
	SociAbility empowers disabled people to explore their communities with confidence, ease and peace of mind by collecting and sharing detailed, reliable and accurate accessibility information for hospitality and retail venues.
	Wheeliz is the first website dedicated to peer-to-peer wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) rental. Wheeliz enables wheelchair users to rent a car directly to any WAV owner.
	ABLE Human Motion is the first lightweight, easy-to-use and affordable exoskeleton that restores the ability to walk of people with lower-limb paralysis.

The cooperation started in September 2017 with initially 20 Toyota Mirai in Hamburg and the fleet was expanded to up to 45 vehicles at several German locations. Throughout this period, no repairs or parts changes were needed, apart from regular maintenance.

The Toyota Mirai was presented in 2014 and has been available in Europe since 2015. It can be ordered by both private and commercial customers. As a luxury vehicle, the fuel cell sedan offers its occupants maximum comfort and maximum environmental friendliness thanks to the four individual seats: the emission-free Mirai only requires hydrogen for propulsion, which is converted into electrical energy in the fuel cell and the 113 kW / 154 hp electric motor drives. This only creates water vapor. With one tank of fuel, the Toyota Mirai travels up to 500 kilometers and the refueling takes just under three minutes.

Later this year, the second generation Mirai will start production in Japan and will bring even longer range in a beautiful new design.

After launching an Open Call, nearly 200 applications from over 45 countries were duly screened and eight startups were selected to pitch at the Finals, held in Barcelona on 25 February. Over 3,000 people participated in the public voting, after which an expert jury composed of both Toyota executives and ISDI Accelerator took the final decision.

ProsFit – accessible, affordable and comfortable prosthetics

ProsFit (Bulgaria) has developed and commercialised a solution to provide accessible, affordable and comfortable prosthetics to millions of people who would otherwise find mobility extremely challenging. This enables the delivery of high-quality service provision and community-based rehabilitation in remote areas of low and middle-income countries.

Seamless Vision – urban autonomous navigation for the visually impaired

Seamless Vision (Israel) is building a robot helping the visually impaired navigate autonomously in urban areas. It guides users throughout the urban landscape, helps them to explore new places and always brings them back home safely. The technology combines multiple sensory systems with deep learning modules that constructs a human-like perception of its surroundings to enable a complete urban autonomous navigation.

SociAbility – providing reliable and accurate accessibility information

SociAbility (UK) empowers disabled people to explore their communities with confidence, ease and peace of mind by collecting and sharing detailed, reliable and accurate accessibility information for hospitality and retail venues.

Wheeliz – peer-to-peer wheelchair accessible vehicle rental

Wheeliz (France) is the first website dedicated to peer-to-peer wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) rental. Wheeliz enables wheelchair users to rent a car directly to any WAV owner.

Toyota – ISDI partnership

Toyota Accelerator program

Together, TME and ISDI Accelerator have developed the Toyota Accelerator program, which will offer training, mentoring, funding, as well as potential future collaboration with TME.

The program runs for 4 months and includes

· Assignment of business mentors for each startup to help grow their business

· Working with specialised mentors, successful entrepreneurs, experienced investors and C-Level executives from big corporations

· An immersive training bootcamp

· An initial investment of 25,000 euro in equity-free cash

· A demo day to pitch in front of top TME executives and private investors

· Potential collaboration with TME

Click on the following link on 25 February at 09:30 to view the livestream:

https://youtu.be/cP9lk3nfSjo

Full program

• 9:30 – 10:00 Start My Impossible story // Birgit Skarstein, 3x Paralympian, 4x World Rowing Champion, Nordic Skiing World Cup winner
• 10:00 – 12:30 Ultimate pitch competition // Order: 4Blind, ABLE Human Motion, Loro, MotorSkins, ProsFit, Seamless Vision, Sociability, Wheeliz

(12:30 – 14:00 Break)

• 14:00 – 14:30 Start My Impossible story // Ilaria Naef, WCMX (Wheelchair Motocross) athlete
• 14:30 – 15:00 Toyota Startup Accelerator launch // Agustín Martín (VP Connected Technologies, Toyota Motor Europe. CEO Toyota Connected Europe), Miguel Ángel Díez Ferreira (Director ISDI)
• 15:00 – 15:30 Winners announcement // Agustín Martín (VP Connected Technologies, Toyota Motor Europe. CEO Toyota Connected Europe), Luigi Luca' (Director Mobility & Connected Technologies, Toyota Motor Europe), Nacho de Pinedo (CEO & Co-Founder ISDI)

Program

The selected startups will have an opportunity to present their solutions in front of an audience of Toyota executives, investors and media. The winners from this pitch competition will take home a ticket to join the Toyota Accelerator Program powered by ISDI, which will offer training, mentoring, funding, as well as potential future collaboration with TME.

Besides the startup pitches, highlights of the program include

· Toyota Executive presentation on Toyota’s vision of future mobility

· “Start Your Impossible” stories by a wheelchair motocross athlete and a Paralympic Athlete

· Official launch of Toyota Startup Accelerator program

· Announcement of the winners, followed by a closing cocktail & networking opportunity

Venue & Timing

Aticco Tarradellas, Avinguda de Josep Tarradellas 123, Barcelona, Spain

25 February, from 9:00 to 17:00

Registration

Attendees are requested to register here (Limited capacity event).

High performance startups

Around 200 startups from over 45 countries entered the competition with a focus on ‘Mobility for All’. On top of the quantity, TME also notes the high quality of applicants. 52% of all the projects that applied can prove customer growth, 38% of them are generating revenues and 23.5% have each raised €1M or more in private funding already. Geographically, Spain and UK are the countries with the highest amount of applications, with 15% and 12% respectively. Disruptive Mobility (48%) is the vertical with the highest amount of applications, followed by Socially Inclusive Mobility (24%).

Overview eight selected startups

ISDI Press details

Alexandra Carrasco Szulc

Communications Manager - ISDI Accelerator

Tel: +34 690 695 963

E-mail: acarrasco@isdi.education

High performance startups

On top of the quantity, TME also notes the high quality of applicants. 52% of all the projects that applied can prove customer growth, 38% of them are generating revenues and 23.5% have each raised €1M or more in private funding already. Geographically, Spain and UK are the countries with the highest amount of applications, with 15% and 12% respectively. Disruptive Mobility (48%) is the vertical with the highest amount of applications, followed by Socially Inclusive Mobility (24%).

Overview eight selected startups

Toyota Stand (Hall 2 B100)

At Toyota’s stand, the selected startups will have an opportunity to present their solutions in front of an audience of event visitors, investors and Toyota executives. A maximum of three winners from this pitch competition will take home a ticket to join the Toyota Accelerator Program powered by ISDI, which will offer training, mentoring, funding, as well as potential future collaboration with TME.

The winners of the Toyota Startup Awards will be announced by TME on the Banco Sabadell stage (Hall 1) on Tuesday 25 February 2020 at 12:30.

Besides the startup pitches, Toyota’s 3-day program includes

• Main stage keynote speech by Agustin Martin, CEO at Toyota Connected Europe and Jim Adler, Managing Director and Board Member of Toyota AI Ventures
• Several Toyota Executives presentations (Toyota’s vision of future mobility, e-palette)
• “Start Your Impossible” stories by a wheelchair motocross athlete and a Paralympic Athlete
• And many other inspirational talks from guest speakers in the entrepreneurial world

Details Toyota Stand

• 4YFN event – Hall 2 B100
• Fira Montjuïc, Avinguda de la Reina Maria Cristina, 08004 Barcelona
• Between 24 and 26 February 2020
• Contact for media interviews: Carol Coolsaet (carol.coolsaet@toyota-europe.com)

ISDI Press details

Alexandra Carrasco Szulc

Communications Manager - ISDI Accelerator

Tel: +34 690 695 963

E-mail: acarrasco@isdi.education

Toyota aims to grow its mobility services offer in addition to traditional private and fleet vehicle sales through a strategy organised around four pillars:

• Use a distinct and dedicated brand to appeal to new categories of mobility users, from individuals to corporate clients as well as cities;
• Increase its share of the full service leasing (FSL) market, which consists of providing multi-brand all-in-one vehicle and services offers to corporate and individual customers;
• Use the power of data and vehicle connectivity to develop and launch services like car sharing, carpooling, or subscription where viable;
• Prepare to integrate future advances in automated driving to market-test automated mobility-as-a-service transport, for example using the e-Palette concept currently under development at global level.

In 2018, Toyota started building the foundations necessary to prepare the European organisation to integrate new mobility services into its existing business of making and selling cars. Toyota established two entities, respectively a fleet management company (Toyota Fleet Mobility, based in Cologne, Germany) and a digital platform company (Toyota Connected Europe, based in London, UK).

• Toyota Fleet Mobility focuses on growing its Full-Service Leasing in the European market. TFM is growing organically (with current affiliates present in Spain, France and Italy) and through acquisitions. It recently acquired Inchcape Fleet Solutions (IFS) to grow its business in the UK market. TFM is a joint-venture between Toyota Financial Services Corporation and Toyota Motor Europe.
• Toyota Connected Europe is the European subsidiary of Toyota’s technological enabler and data company. It develops and implements a range of products and services associated with connected vehicle systems, such as Toyota Big Data Centre, as well as services within Toyota’s proprietary Mobility Services Platform (MSPF).

The KINTO brand will be used to clearly position the offer as dedicated to new ways to consume mobility, and will stand for “inclusive and trustworthy,” “simple and effortless,” and “sustainable.”

The new brand’s name is derived from the Japanese word Kintoun or Flying nimbus, a cloud which provides on-demand transportation for a famous animated character in Japan. Just like Kintoun, KINTO wants to be available every time a customer looks for easy and clever ways to move around, whenever, wherever.

KINTO-branded services will be deployed market by market based on viability and sustainability of the business case. The initial services to be introduced in some European markets include:

• KINTO One: a Full Service Lease offer, providing ease of ownership combining vehicle, service, insurance in one monthly payment.

• KINTO Share: a car sharing service based on a large hybrid vehicle line-up available via a self-service concept, without the running costs. Toyota’s existing car sharing service Yuko which is already operational in several cities in Europe (Dublin; Venice; Copenhagen; and Madrid), will be re-branded under KINTO.
• KINTO Join: Carpooling, connecting employees who wish to share their daily commute to work, benefitting both employees and companies who can reduce their CO2 footprint.
• KINTO Flex: Subscription based car leasing, offering increased flexibility and providing premium experience.

Other services are being evaluated, such as ride-hailing or a multi-modal app. The services would feature easy access via mobile apps and integrated payments.

The company’s press conference will be live-streamed on Vimeo, in the Mandalay conference center, Oceanside A.

Click on the following link on January 6 at 22:00 CET to view the press conference: 

https://livestream.com/Toyota/2020CES

From January 7-10, Toyota will have a display booth (#6919) in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Visitors attending the booth will experience a visual depiction of Toyota’s ecosystem plans along with mobility products including, e-Palette, micro-Palette, LQ and Walking Area BEVs.

Also included in the booth will be two innovation areas:

• Toyota AI Ventures, Toyota’s US based venture capital firm, will feature several portfolio companies along with an overview of its investment direction. 
• Toyota IP Solutions, Toyota’s newly formed patent team will provide information about the benefits of licensing the impressive IP from Toyota’s accomplished R&D efforts.

Link full press release: Toyota to Build Prototype City of the Future

Interested startups can apply between December 20 and January 26. One of the main criteria is that applicants must focus on the following three fields:

     · Socially inclusive mobility: Mobility solutions that are created to meet the unfulfilled mobility needs of people with a physical impairment, elderly and children, as well as people living in suburban areas.

     · Accessibility: Provide innovative approaches that increase the accessibility to mobility solutions and thereby enable a “Mobility for All” future.

     · Disruptive Mobility: Development of new products, services, tools, technologies and / or disruptive business models that can contribute to a “Mobility for All” future.

A jury formed by experts from TME and ISDI Accelerator will choose among the applications a maximum of eight projects that will become finalists for the Toyota Startup Awards and join Toyota at 4YFN. The selected startups will benefit from:

     ● Free booth space in Toyota’s stand at 4YFN during the three days of the event to showcase their innovative product or solution.

     ● An exclusive time slot on the Toyota stage at 4YFN to pitch their solution.

     ● Exposure to event visitors, investors and Toyota executives.

     ● Access to MWC Barcelona on Thursday 27 February 2020 for their startup team.

     ● Accommodation during the 4YFN event for two members of the startup team.

     ● The opportunity to win a fast track to the Toyota Accelerator Program that will offer training, mentoring, brokerage with private investors as well as potential future collaboration with TME.

The winners of the Toyota Startup Awards will be announced by Toyota on the main stage of 4YFN on 25 February 2020.

Toyota’s “Start Your Impossible” global corporate story conveys the message that when people are free to move, anything is possible. Toyota believes that mobility goes beyond cars; it is about overcoming limitations. In this spirit our mission is to provide freedom of movement for everyone. Our vision is to offer integrated mobility solutions to everyone, including those with physical impairments, ensuring a more open and inclusive society that allows people to challenge their potential.

Startups are invited to apply via the dedicated website: http://toyotastartupawards.com/

ISDI Press details

Alexandra Carrasco Szulc

Communications Manager - ISDI Accelerator

Tel: +34 690 695 963

E-mail: acarrasco@isdi.education

Upon legal completion of the agreement, TFM will take 100% ownership of IFS. As one of the UK’s largest and best-known independent fleet management and leasing specialists, IFS offers a complete portfolio of fleet management and funding solutions for passenger and commercial vehicles across corporate, public, not-for-profit and SME sectors. IFS is headquartered in Portsmouth, UK.

TFM is a joint venture between Toyota Financial Services Corporation, headquartered in Nagoya, Japan, and Toyota Motor Europe, based in Brussels, Belgium. The company was established in 2018 with the aim of developing a European base for future mobility services by providing full service leasing products. TFM has subsidiaries in France, Italy and Spain.

CleverShuttle, with the involvement of Deutsche Bahn as a shareholder since 2015, is primarily used by people interested in technology and environment who want to be transferred in a CO2 neutral manner. Trips can be booked via an app, after which customers are picked up at a preferred location and driven to their desired destination. By bundling passengers with similar routes, the mobility service ensures low prices, up to 40 percent below conventional taxis.

The cooperation started in September 2017 with initially 20 Toyota Fuel Cell Mirai in Hamburg. Fuelling of the vehicles is done at refuelling stations of H2 MOBILITY, the joint venture established to expand the nationwide hydrogen infrastructure. Thanks to the high level of everyday practicality and reliability of the world’s first fuel cell sedan, CleverShuttle increased the Toyota Mirai fleet up to 45 units that are now being used in Hamburg, as well as in Munich and Stuttgart.

 “We are very pleased to have found the perfect partner in CleverShuttle for our hydrogen technology,” says Ferry M. M. Franz, Director of Toyota Motor Europe – Berlin Office. “With more than 2.2 million kilometres driven, this is the world’s most heavily used hydrogen fleet, demonstrating the innovative, attractive and trouble-free usage of this technology. We would not have been able to bring more than 500,000 people into contact with this forward-looking technology in a faster and better way“, continues Franz.

The Toyota Mirai was introduced in 2014 and has been available in Germany since 2015. It can be ordered by both private and commercial customers. As a top-of-the-range vehicle, the 4.89-meter fuel cell sedan offers its occupants maximum environmental friendliness and maximum comfort thanks to its four individual seats. The emission-free Mirai requires only hydrogen for propulsion, which is converted into electrical energy in the fuel cell that drives the 113 kW/154hp electric engine.

This only creates water vapour as an emission. With a full tank the Toyota Mirai drives up to 500 km, while refuelling takes just under three minutes.

This project has received funding from the European Fuel Cells and Hydrogen 2 Joint Undertaking under grant agreement No 671438 and No 700350. This Joint Undertaking receives support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, the Industry Grouping Hydrogen Europe and Research Grouping Hydrogen Europe Research.

Tokyo, Japan, August 23, 2019 – Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota), worldwide partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, today announced that it will provide a full line-up of electrified vehicles, including unique versions of certain vehicles as well as vehicles developed specifically to support the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 (Tokyo 2020). With its electrified line-up, Toyota, together with the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, aims to achieve the lowest emissions target level of any official fleet used at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and thereby also helping to reduce the environmental burden of the Games.

Toyota will provide a total of around 3,700 mobility products and/or vehicles for Tokyo 2020. The majority, or nearly 90 percent, of the official vehicle fleet will be electrified. Electrified vehicles include Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV), Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV), such as the hydrogen-powered Mirai, Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV), the Prius PHV (known as Prius Prime in some markets), and Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV), including the “APM” (Accessible People Mover) and the e-Palette as well as TOYOTA Concept-i, which will provide a unique and wide-range of diverse mobility during Tokyo 2020. Among the electrified vehicles provided, Toyota will include approximately 500 FCEVs and approximately 850 BEVs, the largest of any fleet for a Games to date.

Out of the approx. 3,700 mobility products and/or vehicles for Tokyo 2020, 2,700 vehicles will be part of the official fleet providing transportation support between venues during the Olympic Games. These will be commercially-available vehicles, such as Mirai, etc. Preliminary calculations suggest that the CO₂ emitted by the commercially-available fleet for Tokyo 2020 will average less than 80 g/km*¹, resulting in a reduction by approx. half of the typical amount when compared to a similar sized fleet of mostly conventional gasoline and diesel models. Additionally, further reductions are anticipated during the Games when combined with Toyota’s other advanced mobility products and/or electrified vehicles, including the unique versions of vehicles or vehicles designed for use at the Games. As such, Toyota aims to achieve the lowest emissions target level of any official fleet used at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Furthermore, to help avoid collisions and reduce/mitigate potential damage or injury, all of the commercially-available vehicles for staff transportation support will come equipped with Toyota’s preventative safety technologies, including “Toyota Safety Sense” and “Lexus Safety System +”. Additionally, nearly all the commercially-available vehicles will also be equipped with Intelligent Clearance Sonar (ICS), designed to assist with braking in the event of unintended misapplication of the acceleration pedal.

Aside from the official fleet, Toyota will also support Games operations with other vehicles, including the mass-transit Fuel Cell Bus “Sora”, assistive vehicles that help lift passengers into their seats or are equipped with an attached slope to allow passengers with wheelchairs access to enter the vehicle via the back door, and other vehicles such as Fuel Cell Forklifts made and sold by Toyota Industries Corporation.

Toyota’s Pillars for Tokyo 2020

Toyota’s three main pillars for Tokyo 2020 center on (1) Mobility for All, or allowing all people the freedom to move, (2) Sustainability, centering on the realization of a hydrogen society (environment/safety), and (3) Transportation support for the Games using the Toyota Production System (TPS). With these three pillars, Toyota aims to provide mobility solutions that go beyond the traditional provision of vehicles.

Through its full line-up of electrified vehicles to reduce environmental impact and mobility solutions that combine TPS with diverse mobility, Toyota will support smooth operations for Tokyo 2020, while also supporting the transport of those attending the Games, including staff, athletes, and visitors. Furthermore, through its robots, Toyota will provide support of event operations and unique experiences, exceeding the general notion of what mobility means for the Games. These activities will be pursued while Toyota continues to challenge itself to provide “Mobility for All” by offering various mobility solutions to make Tokyo 2020 a one-of-a-kind event.

Below is an outline of the main vehicles that Toyota will provide:

1/ Vehicles developed specifically for Tokyo 2020

​APM

• Approx. 200 units to help attendees with special mobility needs travel within Tokyo 2020 event venues such as the Olympic Stadium and Ariake Tennis Park for “last one mile” transportation and relief activities
• Details of the APM were released on July 18 (full release here)

2/ Unique vehicle versions for Tokyo 2020

e-Palette (Tokyo 2020 version)

• Toyota’s first BEV developed specifically for Autono-MaaS^*2, the Tokyo 2020 e-Palette will support transportation needs of staff and athletes, with a dozen or more running on a continuous loop within the Olympic and Paralympic Village.
• With a low-floor, electric slope and by stopping precisely at each stop, leaving little to no gap or opening between the curb and the bus, the e-Palette will make travel easier for wheelchair passengers and support smooth transport over short distances.
• The vehicle is anticipated to feature automated driving (up to SAE Level 4^*3). In addition to having an operator aboard every vehicle to monitor the automated driving operation, Toyota will also provide a digital control system to monitor the general operating conditions of the vehicle.

Vehicle specifications

Toyota Concept-i (Tokyo 2020 version)

• With a characteristic “high-tech one-motion silhouette” exterior design, the Concept-i hopes to bring further excitement and attention to the Games through its activities as the operating vehicle at the Olympic torch relay and lead vehicle in the marathon.
• Also, in addition to the vehicles provided for the Games, the public roads surrounding the Toyota City Showcase “MEGAWEB” in the Tokyo Odaiba/Toyosu area are expected to be used for test rides/drives of vehicles with advanced driving technology. This includes the Toyota Concept-i, which will demonstrate automated driving (SAE Level 4^*3) and its functions, including “Agent conversation”, that uses artificial intelligence to understand people, helping people experience new ways to move as well as the future of “beloved cars”.

​

Vehicle specifications

3/ Other vehicles

Mirai

• Approx. 500 will be provided for the transport of Games’ staff around Tokyo 2020 official venues.
• For further details on Mirai, please see the press release here

​

Walking area BEVs

• Toyota will provide approximately 300 units of its standing-type personal mobility devices for use by security/medical staff centering around and within Tokyo 2020 venues, such as the Olympic Stadium and Ariake Tennis Park
• Furthermore, Toyota is exploring the use of its sitting-type and wheelchair-link personal mobility devices for those in wheelchairs and with difficulty walking

*1 Calculation by Toyota based on information available in product catalogs. For PHEV calculation, it is based on Toyota calculation methods outlined in a report created on March 1, 2013 by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. For some vehicles with special customization for Tokyo 2020, Toyota calculates fuel consumption according to the weight increase due to customization. As of August 23, 2019.

*2 Combination of “autonomous” and “mobility as a service” describing Toyota’s mobility services using automated driving vehicles

*3 SAE Level references can be found here

The dedicated web page for athletes introduces their stories as Global Team Toyota Athletes on their journey to participate in Tokyo 2020. The athlete page will be updated as things move closer to the Games, such as who qualifies to compete in Tokyo 2020, as the athletes look forward to performing their best on the world’s stage.

Photo by Getty Images, AFP/Getty Images, Kyodo News/Getty Images

The new page also conveys Toyota’s “Start Your Impossible” global corporate initiative, a message that encapsulates Toyota’s strong desire to recognize and help with challenges faced by all, including the challenges facing the auto industry during the current unparalleled time of rapid change. Sports and the way that athletes challenge themselves to improve and reach their goals are inspirational and show the way to a better society. By helping to create a more open and inclusive society that allows people challenge their potential, Toyota also wants to contribute to improvement and the advancement of people’s daily lives and overall society.

*Number of athletes as of August 22, 2019

“Global Team Toyota Athletes” are comprised of not only athletes that are also Toyota employees, but include athletes that have been selected from each country because they share Toyota’s philosophies and values, such as “challenge,” “continuous improvement,” “sincerity,” “teamwork,” “humility and gratitude,” “accountability and honesty,” etc. The athletes put “Start Your Impossible” into practice when they compete in their respective sports, and they demonstrate courage and invigorate all of Toyota’s stakeholders, starting with our employees. Aside from the support Toyota provides for athletes as an employer, the company also offers support in equipment development, as a sponsor, and in a variety of other ways.

The history of Toyota’s involvement with sports goes back to the founding of Toyota Motor Corporation in 1937, when the company’s first sports club, the track and field club, was organized. From that time, Toyota has walked together with sports. The teamwork and personal progress that are gained through sports are not only experienced by the athletes themselves, but also give power to those, including Toyota’s employees, that cheer for and support them.

Akio Toyoda, president of Toyota, commented on the reason the founder Kiichiro Toyoda created the sports division, saying:

“To make things ever better, we need to have a ‘never give up’ mentality. As we fight for something other than ourselves, such as our colleagues, we realize we are doing it ‘for the team’, something that has been apparent in our repeated attempts to make ever better cars.”

In 2011, sports provided Toyota with a feeling of hope and encouragement to “never give up.” During that year, the “Great East Japan Earthquake” struck early in the year, and, later that year, flooding in Thailand caused the supply chain to be cut off, causing a suspension in production. Akio Toyoda went to see the situation, and while there, he received updates on the company’s women’s softball team back in Japan. The team was in the midst of the final match for the season title. The first update was that the team had been tied scoreless at 0-0 and had just given up two runs in overtime. However, the team rallied and was able to pull off a turn-around from behind, ending the game instead with a two run victory.

Following the updated information about the miraculous win, Toyoda commented, “This came during a time when we as a company were already facing the challenges of the Great East Japan Earthquake and the flooding in Thailand, seeing the softball team’s victory brought much needed encouragement.”

Because of this experience and many others, Toyota aims to spread the wonder of sports to as many people as possible.

The athletes that compete in the Olympic and Paralympic Games are the real stars. To help them shine as brightly as possible, Toyota, as a TOP partner, will support the Games by providing technology and services such as leading-edge mobility vehicles, robots that support mobility, and the use of the Toyota Production System. Toyota hopes to share the passion of sports with all its stakeholders, including its customers.

In addition to the newly added page for the athletes, Toyota already has a robust set of sites dedicated to sports, athletes and mobility:

1) Toyota Olympic, Paralympic and Sports website

-Shares information about Toyota and Sports, including Olympics and Paralympics

2) Athlete pages – Newly announced at this time

-Site introducing each of the approx.240 “Global Team Toyota Athletes” (as of Aug. 22, 2019)

3) Athlete stories

-Blog articles from select athlete interviews that focus on their spirit of challenge

4) Mobility for All

-Site sharing Start Your Impossible campaign’s philosophies and stories with comprehensive contents, including the newly released film “Para Tech,” a feature story on eight-time Paralympic gold medalist Andrea Eskau and Toyota engineers pushing the limits of what’s possible in the sport of Para cycling while utilizing Toyota’s experience in motor sports

About Toyota's Top Olympic Partnership and Worldwide Paralympic Partnership

Toyota became the official worldwide mobility partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Committees in 2015 for the 2017-2024 period, covering the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 (South Korea) and Beijing 2022 (China) and the Olympic and Paralympic Games of Tokyo 2020 (Japan) and Paris 2024 (France). As a partner, Toyota aims to encourage creating a peaceful society without discrimination through sports and is committed to creating a sustainable society through mobility. Toyota's values of continuous improvement and respect for people are shared by The Olympic and Paralympic Games, which brings together the entire world in friendship and solidarity to celebrate the highest realization of human potential. Toyota believes that mobility goes beyond cars; it is about overcoming challenges and making dreams come true, which is encapsulated in the company’s “Start Your Impossible” corporate initiative and is the basis for its transformation from a car company to a mobility company. When you are free to move, anything is possible.

Toyota's three main pillars for Tokyo 2020 center on (1) Mobility for All, or allowing all people the freedom to move, (2) Sustainability, centering on the realization of a hydrogen society (environment/safety), and (3) Transportation support for the Games using the Toyota Production System (TPS).  With these three pillars, Toyota has been aiming to provide mobility solutions that go beyond the traditional provision of vehicles.

Looking towards Tokyo 2020, Toyota, through mobility solutions that combine TPS with diverse mobility, will support smooth operations for Tokyo 2020 as well as support the transport attendees, including staff and visitors.  Also, through its robots, Toyota will support event operations and provide unique experiences, exceeding the general notion of what mobility has meant for the Games while continuing to challenge itself to provide "Mobility for All" by offering various mobility solutions to make Tokyo 2020 a one-of-a-kind event.

Nobuhiko Koga, Chief Officer of Toyota’s Frontier Research Center, said:“At Toyota, we use industrial robot technology for a variety of applications based on our dedication to ‘Supporting human life activities and living in harmony with people’. For example, since 2004, we have developed partner robots focused on support for people unable to move on their own, including the aging population. Now, as we transform into a mobility company, we are expanding our robotics efforts to provide all people with the freedom to move. ‘Mobility for all’ is not only the ‘physical’ movement of a person or thing from one location to another, but also includes ‘virtual’ mobility of a person. This provides further opportunities to experience new things, meet and interact with others, or to be ‘moved’ emotionally. At Tokyo 2020, we want to capture the imagination of spectators by providing support robots as we do our part to make the Games a success.”

 _{*Robots used at Tokyo 2020 may have different designs}

Tokyo 2020 Mascot Robot Miraitowa / Someity (Mascot Robot)

​​To make this the most innovative and technologically advanced Games in history, the Tokyo 2020 and Toyota are working to develop a “mascot robot”.

In addition to welcoming athletes and guests to official venues, Toyota is currently considering plans for a new way for the Games to be enjoyed by children in Japan, via the mascot robot.

The mascot robot will both allow expressions of arm movements via a remote-location robot, and share force-feedback from interactions.

Via a camera mounted on the robot’s head, it can recognize people nearby, and once recognized, use its eyes to respond with/show a variety of expressions.

By equipping the robot with miniature joint units across its entire body, the robot offers flexibility when being controlled, and the users can operate the robot safely and with high operational functionality.

^{_{[Offered from Tokyo 2020]}}

T-HR3 (Humanoid Robot)

Toyota will provide a unique way for other guests in remote/distant locations that are unable to be physically present to interact with athletes via the T-HR3 and Mascot robots.

Specifically, the T-HR3 robots will be able to reproduce movement from a mascot robot in a remote location in nearly real-time. In addition to providing images and sounds from the remote locations, these robot users will also be able to experience the power of movement and force-feedback, allowing them to converse with and high-five athletes and others, feeling as if they were truly physically present.

T-TR1 (Remote location communication Robot)　

T-TR1 is a virtual mobility/tele-presence robot developed by Toyota Research Institute in the United States. It is equipped with a camera atop a large, near-lifesize display.

By projecting an image of a user from a remote location, the robot will help that person feel more physically present at the robot’s location.

With T-TR1, Toyota will give people that are physically unable to attend the events such as the Games a chance to virtually attend, with an on-screen presence capable of conversation between the two locations.

HSR: Human Support Robot / DSR: Delivery Support Robot

For a portion of the accessible seating seats at the Olympic Stadium, the Toyota Human Support Robot HSR will guide guests to their seat and convey light meals, goods, and etc. for them, helping them to more freely enjoy the competition.

Also, the Toyota Deliver Support Robot DSR, specially developed for Tokyo 2020, will directly deliver drinks and other goods to spectators that they have ordered from a dedicated tablet.

At track and field events, with approx. 500 seats during the Olympic Games and another 500 for the Paralympic Games, the robots are anticipated to serve over 1,000 spectators requiring mobility assistance (Each section is expected to have 16 rows with 32 seats).

FSR: Field Support Robot (Field Event Support Robot)

Special-use robots equipped with autonomous functions as part of throwing event (i.e. javelin) operations at the Olympic Stadium.

While determining the optimal route to travel, the FSR will follow operating staff on a path that avoids obstacles while retrieving and conveying throwing event items.

By using the FSR, the aim is to reduce the amount of time needed to retrieve items as well as reduce the amount of staff labor for the events.

Toyota and Tokyo 2020 will be working with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) in developing the FSR for the Tokyo 2020 Games.

Through the Games, Toyota aims to provide all people the freedom to move, or what it calls, “Mobility for All”. The APM takes this challenge to the maximum degree, offering a “last one mile” solution that helps transport as many people as possible to events and venues, including athletes and staff related to the Games as well as all types of visitors with accessibility needs such as the elderly, people with impairments, pregnant women, and families with small children, among others. It is also anticipated that part of the fleet of APMs will be used to support relief activities at events/venues during summer. During the Games, Toyota will employ approximately 200 APMs to support the transportation of visitors and staff around various facilities, including places where events or competitions are held and non-event official sites such as the Olympic Village.

Primary Features　

1. “Basic Model”: To support more event attendance, provide “last one mile” transportation

・A low-speed, short-distance battery electric vehicle (BEV) suitable for the transportation of visitors and staff within large event/venue grounds

・Used by all types of attendees to the Games, including staff and athletes, as well as others, such as visitors including the elderly, people with impairments, pregnant women, and families with small children

・The APM will feature three-row seating. In the first row will be the driver’s seat, the second row provides seating for three, and the third row will offer seating for two, allowing total seating for six people, five passengers and one driver. When used for passengers in wheelchairs, the configuration can be modified by folding the seats to allow the wheelchair rider in the second row.

・With safety in mind, the position of the driver’s seat has been elevated and centrally located in order to allow the driver to see passengers and support their individual needs as they enter/exit the vehicle

・Passenger seats are accessible from both sides of the vehicle, and the overall design considers varying customers’ needs, with safety bars on both sides to help passengers while entering and exiting the vehicle, and fitted with wheelchair anchor plates and ramps to enable the optimal access and transportation of wheelchair passengers.

2. “Relief” Specifications: Providing relief activities during the Games

・While using the basic model as the foundation, half of the second and third row space has been preserved for a stretcher. In addition, to help convey people needing relief in a stable, safe way, a stretcher that can be attached/secured in the vehicle will also be equipped

・The vehicle has also been designed with space to allow two relief staff workers to sit immediately adjacent to the stretcher

Safety First

The Lexus LS is a regular series production vehicle that will be driving on regular, open roads. The only difference is the roof mounted pack of sensors including LIDAR, radars, cameras and high precision positioning system. In the car, a Safety Driver, who can intervene and overrule the AD vehicle control system at any time, will be accompanied by an Operator supervising the entire system. Toyota is bringing this car to the open roads, after months of thorough preparation of the vehicle: validating the AD system, training the drivers, analysing the route and engaging with authorities to acquire the necessary approvals.

This research ties in with Toyota’s global vision to create safe and Ever-Better Mobility for All. Toyota sees the relationship between a driver and the car as teammates working together, a mobility approach which it has dubbed ‘Mobility Teammate Concept’. With the aim to realise more safe and accessible mobility, Toyota is working on two different automated driving models in parallel: Guardian and Chauffeur¹. Whilst developing these cutting-edge technologies, Toyota is also popularizing safety features in an affordable way, across the range. Toyota equips all its newly sold cars with advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS), called Toyota Safety Sense and Lexus Safety System+².

European L3Pilot

The automated vehicle will also be used for collecting data as part of Toyota’s involvement in the European “L3Pilot project,” along with 34 other partners, including major car manufacturers, automotive suppliers, research institutes and authorities. The L3Pilot is a four-year European project launched in 2017 and partially funded by the European Commission³. The project paves the way for large-scale AD field tests of around 1,000 drivers in 100 cars across 10 countries in Europe. Within this framework, TME will concentrate on researching customer behaviours and the safe operation of systems in complex and diverse urban environments.

¹ Guardian mode uses technology to constantly monitor the human’s driving task, intervening only when necessary. In Chauffeur mode, the technology takes all responsibility for driving.

² The Lexus LS is equipped with Lexus Safety Sense+A

³ This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme; grant agreement 723051, Funded under H2020-EU.3.4.

Seeing these societal trends led London-based Faxi to pioneer a concept, called ‘incentivised carpooling’. The start-up developed a unique app and software platform to tackle commuting related concerns for the benefit of companies, employees and cities. Through the app, users can find and connect with colleagues who share the same route to work and commute at similar times. It allows companies to verify employee carpooling in real time and to offer incentives and rewards, such as priority parking, to car poolers.

These remuneration policies have proven to be successful: one UK based customer increased co-worker carpooling from under 10 to over 200 passengers and drivers per month in just six months.

Growing ambitions for partnership

In 2018, driven by a customer-focused approach, Toyota Financial Services (TFS) decided to start working with Faxi for the development of a Toyota branded carpooling platform to offer incentivised carpooling in Europe. Toyota currently runs several projects across 6 cities in Europe and 3 around the globe.

Seeing similar needs across cities in Europe, TFS has now decided to invest in Faxi, becoming the majority shareholder. Aioi Nissay Dowa Europe / Toyota Insurance Management also invested, joining existing shareholder the Indigo group. The ambition is to scale the Faxi platform across Europe and beyond, expanding the current number of cities and projects.

With the patent pending, the Faxi technology brings people safely together to share common journeys. It helps communities of people to share the costs of their carpool simply and fairly, by reimbursing the driver for fuel and wear and tear. By using smart phone telemetry to measure the proximity of the driver and passengers, it can prove whether or not journeys have in fact been shared. This not only allows organisations to offer specific incentives, such as prioritised parking or other financial benefits. It also provides valuable data to local and central governments on the congestion and environmental savings that are being generated by carpooling.

Additional quotes:

For media enquiries:

Parm Heer/Patrick Moorcroft/Wendy Harrison

Tel: +44 (0) 208 977 9132

Email: AND-Eteam@harrisonsadler.com

People with reduced mobility encounter daily issues in and around public transit.  Whether going from home to a bus, tram, or train; from one form of transit to a connecting form; or moving in and around stations, those with mobility issues cannot use and enjoy public transport in the same way people without mobility challenges can.  In response to these issues in the Berlin-Brandenburg region, we have developed the Accessible Transport for Berlin Challenge.

The Toyota Mobility Foundation, with the support of the City of Berlin, and together with betahausX, and public transport partners DB, BVG, ViP and VBB, will host this special competition to make public transport more accessible for people with mobility issues.  This isn’t just another startup competition.  Public transport partners will implement ideas through on-the-ground testing.  The best ideas will not disappear into an innovation vacuum.  This unique competition also encourages startups to break down barriers through building mobile apps and digital solutions to make transportation in Berlin and Potsdam accessible for everyone.

Accessible Transport for Berlin Challenge Timeline

1. Applications Open 21 January 2019
2. Applications Close 11 March 2019
3. Selection Period 11 March- 4 April 2019
4. Selection Announcement 4 April 2019
5. Briefing and Training for Selected Entrants 9 April 2019
6. Accessible Transport for Berlin Challenge Day 10 April 2019

Prize Amounts

First and Second Place: 3,000 Euros

Third and Fourth Place: 2,000 Euros

Fifth and Sixth Place: 1,000 Euros

Visit the Accessible Transport for Berlin Challenge website here: https://www.betahaus.com/accessible-transport-challenge 

From navigation to seamless communication to optimized platforms, the theme of accessible transport and mobility is a very broad and important one. In this competition, we are calling for innovative solutions to improve public transportation systems.  These innovations should help people with reduced mobility - such as individuals from the disabled, elderly, or visually-impaired communities - to move more freely within the city.  The best startups, chosen to compete at the pitch event held in Berlin on April 10, will present to the public transport partners to win the opportunity to implement their Proof of Concept.

Who should join?

Startups from all over the world are encouraged to apply.  Startups should already be at the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) stage or have a more developed solution that addresses urban mobility issues.  The startup can be based anywhere in the world, but one or more team members must be able to travel to Berlin on April 9-10 and be able to implement their solution, should they win the competition.

About Toyota Mobility Foundation

The Toyota Mobility Foundation was established in August 2014 to support the development of a more mobile society.  The Foundation aims to promote strong mobility systems while eliminating disparities in mobility.  It utilizes Toyota’s expertise in technology, safety, and the environment, working in partnership with universities, government, non-profit organizations, research institutions and other organizations to address mobility issues around the world.  Programs include resolving urban transportation problems, expanding the utilization of personal mobility, and developing solutions for the next generation mobility.

About betahausX

Founded in 2014, betahausX organises international startup competitions, hackathons, startup immersions and corporate accelerators, with the aim to reinvent growth.  betahausX also runs BETAPITCH, a global startup pitch competition in 12 cities that ends each year in Berlin with Investors Day.

About the Public Transport Partners

Deutsche Bahn (DB)

With its management group in Berlin, and more than 310,000 employees (40% located outside Germany), DB Group offers global mobility and logistical services and operates in over 130 countries.

Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG)

BVG is the leading public transport company in Berlin. It manages the city's underground railway, tram, bus and replacement services (EV).  Their company objective is to be reliable and innovative, and in the process contribute to the face of the city – both inwardly and outwardly.

Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg (VBB)

The VBB is the public transport authority covering the federal states of Berlin and Brandenburg – the entire capital area of Germany.  They see the necessity to reconnect Berlin to the surrounding Brandenburg area and to create high-quality public transport.

Verkehrsbetrieb Potsdam (ViP)

ViP operates the major part of public transport in Potsdam, the adjacent city to Berlin.  The company is a subsidiary of Stadtwerke Potsdam GmbH. Today, the transport companies operate seven tram lines, 25 bus lines and a ferry connection as partners of the VBB.

Toyota Mobility Foundation Contact:

Julie Ann Burandt

Toyota Mobility Foundation

Toyota North America

julieann.burandt@toyota.com

The Challenge invited engineers, innovators, and designers from across the world to submit designs for game-changing technologies, incorporating intelligent systems, to improve the mobility and independence of people with lower-limb paralysis. Central to the Challenge is the importance of collaboration with end-users to develop devices which will integrate seamlessly into users’ lives and environments, while being comfortable and easy to use, enabling greater independence and increased participation in daily life.

Each of the five finalists will receive a grant of $500,000 to develop their concept further, with the final winner of the Challenge receiving $1 million in Tokyo in 2020.

The five finalists are:　

● The Evowalk: Evolution Devices (United States) - The Evowalk is a non-intrusive sleeve which goes around the user’s leg and has sensors that track the user’s walking motion and will stimulate the right muscles at the right time to improve mobility. This personalized, timed muscle stimulation that helps user’s muscles contract as they walk will not only help them day to day but will also rehabilitate the muscles over time.

● Moby: Italdesign (Italy) - Moby is the first mobility service created for wheelchair users. It’s the cycle share scheme equivalent for wheelchair users. Consisting of a series of wheel-on electric devices, located in urban hubs, it will make travelling around cities much simpler and easier for people with lightweight manual wheelchairs. Connected via an app, it will enable users to interact with the device, other wheelchair users and other means of transport.

● Phoenix Ai Ultralight Wheelchair: Phoenix Instinct (United Kingdom) - The Phoenix AI wheelchair is an ultra-lightweight manual wheelchair made from carbon-fiber. Using smart sensors the chair will configure itself to what the user is doing so it remains in sync with how the user moves. The sensors detect if the user is leaning forward or back, algorithms will calculate the wheelchair’s response. The Phoenix Ai will have many smart functions never before seen in wheelchairs, at the core is intelligent centre of gravity. The chair will continually adjust its centre of gravity to fit what the user is doing making for a chair that is easier to push and turn by eliminating drag and uncomfortable, painful vibration while also making the chair safe from falling backwards. Intelligent, lightweight power assist will make slopes easier to ascend while automatic braking will remove the need for users to grip the wheels to slow down.

● Qolo (Quality of Life with Locomotion): Team Qolo, University of Tsukuba (Japan) - The Qolo Standing Device consists of a lightweight, mobile exoskeleton on wheels which uses passive actuators to allow users to sit or stand, effectively removing the ‘chair’ from ‘wheelchair’. Mobility is controlled using the upper body, allowing hands-free operation. The device enables users to travel around in a standing position, changing both physiological and social aspects of everyday living.

● Quix: IHMC & MYOLYN (United States) - A robotic, powered exoskeleton with motors at the hips, knees and ankles, as well as additional actuators offering someone with lower-limb paralysis fast, stable, and agile upright mobility. Utilizing modular actuation, perception technology from autonomous vehicles, and control algorithms for balancing autonomous humanoid robots, this device will deliver the mobility, safety, and independence that current exoskeletons cannot. The device will improve accessibility in society - especially at home and work.

For further details, click here.

Contacts

Sarah-Jane Rumford: sj@89up.org

James Ward: james@89up.org

or call: 

+44 (0)7810 434 636

+44 (0)7913 433 255

+44 (0) 0203 740 5325

About Toyota Mobility Foundation

The Toyota Mobility Foundation was established in 2014 to support the development of a more mobile society. The Foundation aims to support strong mobility systems while eliminating disparities in mobility. It utilizes Toyota’s expertise in technology, safety, and the environment, working in partnership with universities, government, non-profit organizations, research institutions and other organizations to address mobility issues around the world. Programs include resolving transportation problems, expanding the utilization of personal mobility, and developing solutions for next generation mobility.

Learn more at www.toyotamobilityfoundation.org.

Next week Toyota will show its Human Support Robot (HSR) to the academic and researchers’ community in Europe at IROS in Madrid from October 1st-5th. Toyota Engineers will also present the HSR research platform in a series of talks.

The HSR, one of Toyota’s mobility concepts developed within our goal to provide freedom of mobility for all, is part of the Toyota Partner Robots family. It reflects our commitment to enriching lives of Communities with a focus on nursing and healthcare, short-distance transport and home-living.

As a compact mobile manipulator with a folding arm, it can pick up objects up off the floor and retrieve objects from shelves. It performs a variety of other tasks to improve the quality of life of elderly people or people with disabilities.

Through the HSR Developer’s Community launched in September 2015, Toyota has been offering its HSR open innovation platform to partners throughout the world. Participating research organizations do not need to develop the actual robot nor the software for the robot’s basic operations. They can focus on developing future ideas and applications by testing their technology and algorithms in a real environment with ease. There are already 44 partners in 12 countries using the HSR. In Europe, TME is also supporting 5 research universities located in Germany, UK, France and The Netherlands.*

The HSR has already been adopted as a standard platform for international robot competitions such as the RoboCup@Home and the World Robot Summit (WRS).

To find out more about the HSR development and Toyota’s other robotics-related project, visit https://www.toyota-global.com/innovation/partner_robot/robot/

For applications to join the HSR Developers’ Community, please contact xr-hsr-info@mail.toyota.co.jp or visit Toyota in IROS at Booth 58.

_{* List of research universities in Europe:}

Speaking on Toyota’s focus on the Paralympics, Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation, said, “Through my meetings with Sir Philip Craven when he was President of the International Paralympic Committee in 2015, and with many Para athletes since, I have become even more committed to the idea that Toyota should provide mobility solutions for all people. With this in mind, we are taking steps as a mobility company, not just by making ‘ever-better cars’, but also by aiming to address various mobility needs above and beyond cars.”

He continued, “I am convinced this journey will help us appreciate differences as individuality, and lead us to free ourselves from the sort of fixed thinking that can hold back large organizations like ours, and from prejudice and discrimination in society at large. I see Toyota’s involvement with the Paralympic movement as taking a decisive step toward our goal of “One Toyota” and as a humble step to help achieve Sir Philip’s motto, “One World, One Dream, One People.”

“Toyota’s aim of ‘Mobility for All’ is not just for those with impairments, but has broader implications for all people, and therefore has special meaning,” said Sir Philip Craven, a member of Toyota Motor Corporation’s board of directors since June 2018. “The first time Akio Toyoda visited the IPC headquarters a few years back, he recorded ‘Fight for the Future. One World, One Dream, One People, One Toyota.’ in our guestbook, and that left a strong impression on me. I came to believe that fighting together with Toyota may truly lead to a better future where all people will be able to have the freedom to move.”

Toyota is supporting the Paralympic movement through internal activities involving its employees, and by working in partnership with Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee and the All Japan Business Committee.

I. Grassroots activities towards an inclusive society by Toyota employees

In 2017, Toyota began grassroots activities around the world related to expanding interest in Para sports, including:

a) Activities to expand interest in Para sports

When signing the agreement to become worldwide partner of the IPC, Toyota also signed an agreement to become a partner to approximately 180 local National Paralympic Committees (NPCs). Working closely with each NPC, Toyota aims to increase and develop interest in Para sports globally.

1. Technology support for Para athletes:

• Toyota is challenging itself to develop equipment for Para athletes with the technological capabilities and engineering know-how learned from making cars in America, Japan, and Germany.
• For the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games, Toyota worked with other equipment developers and athletes, including alpine skier Taiki Morii, on the development of a new chair ski, and cross-country skier and biathlete Andrea Eskau, on the development of a ski-sled with Toyota Motor Sports GmBH.
• Looking ahead to Tokyo 2020, Toyota R&D employees are forming project teams to take on the challenge of improving equipment used by athletes in the summer para sports.

Para athletes Andrea Eskau (Left image, right-hand side) and Taiki Morii (Right image, back, 2^nd from left) work with Toyota engineers as they review equipment under development.

2. Support to National Paralympic Committees:

• The Agitos Foundation, the IPC’s development arm, is the leading global organization for developing Para sport as a tool for changing lives and contributing to an inclusive society for all. It works with NPCs and other organizations around the world.
• The worldwide partnership agreement between Toyota and the IPC has made it possible for the Agitos Foundation to deliver a program called “NPC Development Programme powered by Toyota”, which offers support and training in the areas of organizational development, sport technical training and athlete development. The objective is to increase the organizational capability and professionalism of NPCs so they can better expand the reach of Para sports in their countries.
• In various countries, working closely with the NPCs, Toyota aims to expand interest in Para sports by working with local populations and by connecting local businesses to each NPC.

3. Activities to increase awareness of Para sports:

• Toyota became a gold partner of the Japan Boccia Association in May 2017 and the official sponsor of the Japan Wheelchair Basketball Association.
• With these two partnerships as a focal point, Toyota will help increase awareness of Para sports by hosting experiential events in regions in Japan, providing operational volunteers, and by having Toyota employees attend local Para sports events, supporting the athletes, especially those where Toyota employee athletes are competing.
• Additionally, Toyota is sponsoring other major international Para competitions, such as the 2018 World Para Swimming European Championships held in Dublin, Ireland from August 13-19.

4. Employment and sponsorship:

• Toyota already employs and sponsors a large number of athletes, both within and outside of Japan, including Para athletes.
• In addition, Toyota is exploring how it may employ more Para athletes around the world.

5. The Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF) “Mobility Unlimited Challenge”

• As a separate entity, the Toyota Mobility Foundation is currently running a global idea contest, the “Mobility Unlimited Challenge,” aiming to develop innovative assistive tools to help provide the freedom of movement to those with impairments. The challenge was issued in November 2017, and the winning idea will receive up to $4 million USD in development support. The winner is scheduled to be announced at Tokyo 2020.
   

b) Activities related to mobility solutions

Toyota is engaged in activities with various stakeholders and local communities in Japan to support the movement of people with limited transportation options.

1. Regional transportation assistance project:
(Joint verification project in Akita Prefecture, Yokota City)

• With a declining population, the people in Yokota City are seeing reductions in the scheduled bus routes they rely on.
• To maintain these routes, Toyota is providing assistive vehicles (WelCab) at no cost. The vehicles are driven by paid volunteers over the age of 60, operated by the city, and service six small towns in the area.
• By participating in activities to maintain routes in the area and working with local authorities and residents to help provide alternative ways to move from place to place, Toyota is able to contribute to local needs by exploring potential solutions to mobility problems.
• Similar activities are currently being considered for additional regional/rural towns and villages within Japan.

2. Barrier-free promotion project with train-transport operators:

• Toyota has started working with train operators in the Kanto and Chubu areas of Japan to implement barrier-free options.
• Toyota is using the know-how and experience it has gained from its own systems at its factories to improve accessibility at public transportation locations.

II. Contribution to the Tokyo 2020 Games

As worldwide partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, in addition to the mobility solutions that it will provide to the Games, Toyota will also work with its dealers, group companies and Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, the Japanese government and the city of Tokyo in the following ways:

1. Everyone’s Medal Project (“Minna no Medaru” Project)

• Toyota’s Japanese dealers across the country are participating in the “Everyone’s Medal Project” promoted by the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee in cooperation with the Ministry of the Environment and the City of Tokyo.
• The project aims to make 5,000 gold, silver, and bronze medals for Tokyo 2020 by collecting and recycling metal from small and portable electronics.
• To do this, Toyota will be placing return/recycling boxes at more than 6,000 Toyota and Lexus dealers and Toyota Rent-a-Lease dealers nationwide starting from September 2018, where people can bring in their old portable electronic devices such as unused cell phones, etc. and contribute to a sustainable society.

2. Employee Volunteerism

• For Tokyo 2020, Toyota will be supporting and promoting volunteerism in various ways, including offering hundreds of dealer, group company, and its own employees the opportunity to participate as games volunteers for the Games.

III. Activities with the business world in Japan

To support the Games, the business community in Japan created the "All Japan Business Committee" with the objective of creating legacy for Tokyo 2020 and the future after the Games. The group is the coming together of three Japan economic/business organizations: the Japan Business Federation, the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Japan Association of Corporate Executives. Akio Toyoda is supporting the effort by chairing the Committee which is encouraging the participation of companies large and small nationwide in cooperation with state and local governments and civil society.

1. Experiencing Para sports

• Toyota and the All Japan Business Committee will deepen understanding of Para sports by creating opportunities for people to meet athletes and experience their sports.
• There have already been more than 2,500 people from approximately 280 organizations that have participated and been connected directly to the nationwide movement, and Toyota athletes or staff took part in all of them.

2. Creating a barrier-free map / Conducting training for barrier-free access

• Progress is being made regarding efforts to create a barrier-free map, based on open data gathered on information collected around town by company volunteers.
• As of July 2018, information about barriers has been gathered from 12 cities around Japan at 54 companies.
• From last year, Toyota has been conducting barrier-free training, and has encouraged employees to participate in cities’ activities in roles as operational staff and/or volunteers.

3. Combined business product exhibition (Tohoku, Kyushuu Recovery Support)

• Providing venues and volunteers, Toyota has supported activities of the All Japan Business Committee-run “Japan City Expo,” an exhibition of products from businesses held in cities through Japan to promote the attractiveness of Japan based on the themes of traditional culture and Olympic revival.
• The All Japan Business Committee, working together with the chambers of commerce and industry in major metropolitan areas nationwide, has held exhibitions in six metropolitan areas in Japan with the theme of supporting the revival of these regions hit by severe natural disasters in recent years. Since July 2018 volunteers offered by approximately 300 organizations and companies, including Toyota, have participated.

4. Promoting Japan’s technological leadership

• The All Japan Business Committee has gathered the latest cutting-edge technologies from across Japan that will support Tokyo 2020, and has opened a joint technology business “COUNTDOWN SHOWCASE” exhibit together with Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry.
• The exhibit highlights 40 small and medium-size companies in Tokyo. Toyota exhibited its Mirai fuel cell electric vehicle and its Human Support Robot (HSR) designed to support human lifestyle activities.

About Toyota's Top Olympic Partnership and Worldwide Paralympic Partnership

Toyota became the official worldwide mobility partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Committees in 2015 for the 2017-2024 period, covering the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 (South Korea) and Beijing 2022 (China) and the Olympic and Paralympic Games of Tokyo 2020 (Japan) and Paris 2024 (France). As a partner, Toyota aims to encourage creating a peaceful society without discrimination through sports and is committed to creating a sustainable society through mobility. Toyota's values of continuous improvement and respect for people are shared by The Olympic and Paralympic Games, which brings together the entire world in friendship and solidarity to celebrate the highest realization of human potential. Toyota believes that mobility goes beyond cars; it is about overcoming challenges and making dreams come true, which is encapsulated in the company’s “Start Your Impossible” corporate initiative and is the basis for its transformation from a car company to a mobility company. When you are free to move, anything is possible.

CARLA is hosted on Github, and its development is directed by the CVC at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) in Spain. The non-profit, open source simulator is for the development, training and validation of automated urban driving systems. It is designed to ensure the stability of automated vehicles in myriad situations that are not always testable in the real world. With flexibility and realism in mind, CARLA offers a multitude of environmental conditions and is designed to be extended and easily modified to fit specific project needs.

The team behind CARLA plans on using TRI’s gift to expand its engineering team and the simulator’s capabilities.

CARLA is another major commitment by TRI to an open source platform. TRI has made significant donations for two consecutive years to the Open Source Robotics Foundation (OSRF), which offers the global robotics community access to open source robotics software and development tools. TRI is also the primary contributor to Drake, an open source C++ toolbox created by the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL) for analyzing the dynamics of robots and building control systems.

To learn more about CARLA, please visit Carla.org.

About Toyota Research Institute

Toyota Research Institute is a wholly owned subsidiary of Toyota Motor North America under the direction of Dr. Gill Pratt. The company, established in 2015, aims to strengthen Toyota’s research structure and has four initial mandates: 1) enhance the safety of automobiles, 2) increase access to cars to those who otherwise cannot drive, 3) translate Toyota’s expertise in creating products for outdoor mobility into products for indoor mobility, and 4) accelerate scientific discovery by applying techniques from artificial intelligence and machine learning. TRI is based in the United States, with offices in Los Altos, Calif., Cambridge, Mass., and Ann Arbor, Mich. For more information about TRI, please visit tri.global.

Innovative

Building on the know-how gathered from Dublin (Ireland) and Forlì (Italy) projects, the citizens of Venice can benefit from the following innovations:

• Registration: online in just a few minutes; Smart Watch soon to be added to PC, tablet and smartphone apps
• 2 service options: station based service “YUKÕ One” (pick up and return at a station of your choice) and free floating service “YUKÕ Way” (simply leave the car in any parking space in the city centre)
• Use ‘Venezia Unica’, Venice's official City Pass, to begin and end the journey, allowing customers to easily switch between public and private transportation to enhance multimodality
• A “barrier-free” Toyota Proace Verso has been added to the fleet to offer improved mobility for the disabled or elderly
• Free access to the traffic restricted areas and to paid parking areas.

Toyota Hybrids

With YUKÕ, Toyota is reconfirming its commitment to popularise self-charging and plug-in hybrid electric driving - adding to the 12 million Toyota and Lexus hybrid customers around the world already today.

Hybrid electric technologies are helping to tackle air quality issues in cities. The results of research* by CARe in Rome shows how Toyota’s 4th generation Prius on a daily commute travels 73% of the time with zero emissions. This figure was as high as 79.4% when purely in an urban environment.

Hybrid car sharing meets both societal and customer needs. The technology offers quiet, stress-free and fuel efficient driving, helping to improve air quality whilst car sharing tackles urban congestion.

From a car company to a mobility company

As the industry is going through a once-in-a-century transformation, Toyota is working towards its transition from a car to a mobility company. As stated in our 2011 Global Vision, ‘Toyota will lead the way to the future of mobility’, by developing new forms of transportation and pursuing new ways to connect technology with people.’ At Toyota, we want to contribute to an inclusive and sustainable society through mobility, whether that is mobility between cities or countries, or just across the room.

* Research by CARe (Center for Automotive Research and Evolution) of the University Guglielmo Marconi in Rome in collaboration with Enea (Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development) http://newsroom.toyota.eu/toyota-prius-excels-in-zero-emissions-commuting-study/

For more information: https://yuko-carsharing.it/venezia/it/index.html

Toyota Connected Europe will be based in London to access the area’s high concentration of data scientists, engineers and software developers. Launching with an initial investment of GBP 4.5 million, the new venture is slated to employ between thirty-five and fifty people. TCEU will partner with Toyota Motor Europe, Toyota retailers and distributors in the region to support the launch of new shared mobility and fleet management solutions for consumers, businesses, governments and other stakeholders.

The company will leverage and extend Toyota’s Mobility Services Platform (MSPF), a cloud-based digital ecosystem that provides the tools necessary to bring to market mobility services including ride sharing, car sharing and remote delivery, as well as manage the European operations of the Toyota Big Data Center.

Toyota Connected Europe demonstrates the global growth of TOYOTA Connected, Toyota’s Strategic Business Unit leading development of Telematics, Big Data and the Mobility Services Platform that create new ways for people to move. The company has launched new mobility service business partnerships with Servco Pacific, Inc and Avis Budget Group through Toyota Connected North America; the e-Palette Alliance partnership with Amazon, DiDi, Mazda, Pizza Hut and Uber; and several significant partnerships with taxi companies in Japan. It has also partnered with MS&AD Insurance Group's Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance Co to develop the country’s first driving behaviour-based telematics automobile insurance for connected cars.

Toyota’s growing momentum in the development of advanced mobility solutions reflects the paradigm shift underway in the automobile industry driven by artificial intelligence, automated driving and connected systems.

Los Angeles, California, USA (November 16, 2017) - The Toyota Mobility Foundation, in partnership with Nesta’s Challenge Prize Centre, has launched a $4 million dollar global challenge to change the lives of people with lower-limb paralysis, culminating in the unveiling of the winners in Tokyo in 2020.

The Mobility Unlimited Challenge is seeking teams around the world to create game-changing technology that will help radically improve the mobility and independence of people with paralysis. Watch the video here to understand our vision.

The Mobility Unlimited Challenge aims to harness creative thinking from across the world to accelerate innovation and encourage collaboration with users to find winning devices to transform the world for people with lower-limb paralysis. The Challenge will reward the development of personal mobility devices incorporating intelligent systems.

The mobility solutions of the future could include anything from exoskeletons, to artificial intelligence and machine learning, from cloud computing to batteries.

Around the world, millions of people are living with lower-limb paralysis (the most common causes being strokes, spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis). While there are no statistics on paralysis worldwide, the World Health Organization estimates there are 250,000-500,000 new cases of spinal cord injury globally every year.

Innovation in “smarter” mobility technology has the potential to create personal devices that are better integrated with the user’s body and the environment. But the application of this groundbreaking technology is slow due to disincentives such as small and fragmented markets, regulatory burdens, and reimbursement complexities from healthcare systems and insurers.

This can make the field unattractive to small or new entrants, and prevent innovative solutions by existing innovators from getting to market. Even though huge advances have been made in improving travel between places, innovation in everyday functionality still lags behind.

The Mobility Unlimited Challenge Prize is supported by a number of ambassadors from around the world, all of whom have experience of living with lower-limb paralysis. Global ambassadors include: Aki Taguchi, Director, Paralympian Association of Japan; August de los Reyes, Head of Design at Pinterest; Yinka Shonibare MBE, Turner-Prize nominated British/Nigerian artist; Sandra Khumalo, South African rower; Indian athlete and campaigner Preethi Srinivasan; Sophie Morgan, British TV presenter; US track and field athlete Tatyana McFadden; and Dr Rory A Cooper, director of the Human Engineering Research Laboratories at the University of Pittsburgh.

Ryan Klem, Director of Programs for Toyota Mobility Foundation stated:

“This is the beginning of our challenge, a three-year journey concluding in Tokyo in 2020. A journey where the greatest minds in technology, design and engineering, from every corner of the world, will compete to make the environment and society more accessible for people with lower-limb paralysis. We know we don’t have solutions yet: this Challenge is about working with the people who can help develop them.”

Charlotte Macken of Nesta’s Challenge Prize Centre, commented:

“Challenge Prizes are a way to make innovation happen. The Mobility Unlimited Challenge is about the freedom to move. It will support innovators, creating cutting-edge personal mobility devices incorporating smart technology and intelligent systems that will transform people’s lives."

A panel of expert judges will pick five finalists who will each receive $500,000 to take their concepts from an intelligent insight to a prototype. The Challenge winner will receive $1,000,000 to help get their product to market - with the winning concept unveiled in Tokyo in 2020.

The Mobility Unlimited Challenge aims to attract and support smaller innovators who might otherwise struggle to break into the assistive technology market. The Discovery Awards will provide seed funding of $50,000 for 10 groups with promising concepts, but who might otherwise lack the resources to enter the Challenge. Interested innovators can apply online at mobilityunlimited.org.

Building on universal design principles to create a more equitable environment, entries for the Mobility Unlimited Challenge will be user-centered. The Challenge will be a catalyst for innovation through co-creation with the people around the world who will benefit most from the solutions discovered by our entrants.

At the end of the Mobility Unlimited Challenge, the Toyota Mobility Foundation and Nesta’s Challenge Prize Centre will have supported teams of innovators in creating leading edge technological solutions, opening a new chapter in personal mobility for people with lower-limb paralysis.

For more information please visit mobilityunlimited.org

About Toyota Mobility Foundation

• The Toyota Mobility Foundation was formed by Toyota in 2014 with the aim of creating a truly mobile society that will help people live better lives no matter where they are.
• The Foundation aims to support strong mobility systems while eliminating disparities in mobility.

• The Toyota Mobility Foundation works to provide innovative mobility solutions across the globe, from traffic calming in the world’s busiest cities to hydrogen energy solutions.
• The mission of the Toyota Mobility Foundation is to enable more people to go more places by sharing knowledge, partnering with others and using their innovative spirit to build a more joyful mobile society.
• It utilizes Toyota’s expertise in technology, safety, and the environment, working in partnership with universities, government, non-profit organizations, research institutions and other organizations to address mobility issues around the world.

About Nesta’s Challenge Prize Centre

Nesta is a global innovation foundation, and its Challenge Prize Centre is an internationally renowned center of expertise in the design and development of challenge prizes for societal impact.

The Challenge Prize Centre uses prizes to stimulate innovative solutions to some of the biggest challenges we face, including:

• The Longitude Prize, created to tackle growing levels of antimicrobial resistance and reduce the use of antibiotics.
• The Inclusive Technology Prize, a challenge prize to encourage innovations that gives disabled people equal access to life's opportunities.
• The UNDP’s Renewable Energy Challenge Prize, to find a renewable energy solution capable of providing off-grid power to cover the needs of war-returnee families in rural Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• The Dynamic Demand Challenge Prize, created to reduce carbon emissions by shifting energy demand to off peak times or through excess renewable generation.

To find out more visit http://challengeprizecentre.org/

About Toyota’s contribution in mobility

• Toyota is a world leader in reimagining mobility.
• Toyota has already collaborated with a number of experts - sharing their knowledge and expertise and applying robotics to assist people with limited mobility.

This has included projects such as

• IBot mark 2: Stair climbing wheelchair, soon to be made slimmer and more affordable;
• Human Support Robot (HSR): A ‘partner robot’ to assist people with everyday activities;
• Project BLAID: A future mobility technology that could help people who are blind or have visual impairments gain better environmental awareness.

See more here: https://www.mobilityforall.com/global/en/Mobility/#

Toyota believes that mobility goes beyond cars; it is about overcoming challenges and making dreams come true. The “Start Your Impossible” initiative reflects these values and highlights the company’s goal to provide freedom of mobility for all. “We want to share this thinking with all stakeholders, including consumers, so that we can approach this challenge together,” said Toyota President Akio Toyoda.

Since its founding as a loom manufacturer, Toyota has been driven by a commitment to contribute to society. Over its long history, the company has grown into an innovative leader that has enabled vehicle electrification on a mass scale with the development of the Prius hybrid electric car 20 years ago and more recently, the Mirai hydrogen fuel cell electric car. Toyota sees alternative powertrains, automated cars, mobility-as-a-service, and robotics as significant opportunities to move people and transform the company.

As worldwide partner of The Olympic Games and The Paralympic Games, Toyota aims to encourage creating a peaceful society without discrimination through sports and a commitment to creating a sustainable society through mobility. Toyota’s values of continuous improvement and respect for people are shared by The Olympic Games, which brings together the entire world in friendship and solidarity to celebrate the highest realization of human potential.

“Throughout our history, Toyota has made the impossible possible through innovation and passion, and by continuously challenging the definition of impossible. Today, the automobile industry is clearly amidst its most dramatic period of change -- and during this time Toyota remains committed to making ever better cars. Just as important, we are developing mobility solutions to help everyone enjoy their lives, and we are doing our part to create an ever better society for the next 100 years and beyond. For this to happen, we have to dream beyond conventional vehicles and create new forms of mobility that overcome the limits of today and solve the problems of tomorrow. We share this dream and this spirit of continuous improvement with Olympic and Paralympic athletes, who challenge their own limits every day. I hope that The Olympic and Paralympic Games will create an opportunity for everyone affiliated with Toyota to challenge their impossible and defy their limitations.”

As the first mobility partner of The Olympics Games and The Paralympic Games, Toyota aims to offer mobility services and logistics expertise. The first “Start Your Impossible” film, “Mobility for All,” introduces transportation solutions, next generation mobility, and advanced technologies. Going forward, “Start Your Impossible” will also include a variety of additional programs focused on employees, dealers and consumers, as well as seeking collaboration with the Toyota Mobility Foundation, which was established to address urban transportation challenges and expand personal mobility for all people, inspiring the next generation mobility solutions.

Toyota is also launching a new website – www.MobilityForAll.com. In consultation with the National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM) in the United States, the website (which will be rolled out in phases) is built to be accessible for users with various impairments and to allow all users to experience the site and all its content. Whether set to default, visually impaired, hearing impaired, mobility impaired or cognitively impaired, all coding and design features work to make the experience equally enjoyable for all users.

To celebrate the launch of “Start Your Impossible,” and its partnership with The Olympic Games and The Paralympic Games, Toyota today is holding its first-ever Toyota Mobility Summit in Athens, Greece, the host city of the first modern Olympic Games. The event features a live conversation with Akio Toyoda, as well as a series of discussions led by Toyota Executive Vice President Didier Leroy, with global thought leaders and Olympic and Paralympic athletes. The event will cover topics of mobility from a social, physical well-being and sports perspectives, as well as the future of mobility via technology advancements and research.

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) is the global mobility company that introduced the Prius hybrid-electric car in 1997 and the first mass-produced fuel cell sedan, Mirai, in 2014. Headquartered in Toyota City, Japan, Toyota has been making cars since 1937. Today, Toyota proudly employs 370,000 employees in communities around the world. Together, they build around 10 million vehicles per year in 29 countries, from mainstream cars and premium vehicles to mini-vehicles and commercial trucks, and sell them in more than 170 countries under the brands Toyota, Lexus, Daihatsu and Hino. For more information, please visit www.toyota-global.com.

The CleverShuttle ridesharing service, will now launch in Hamburg (following Berlin, Leipzig and Munich) relying solely on the Toyota Mirai – the first mass-produced fuel cell saloon car. This fleet is therefore powered entirely by hydrogen making it completely free of harmful substances and CO₂ on the road.

The target customers are primarily train passengers looking for transport to and from train stations. The service is booked via an app, allowing grouping of passengers with similar routes. This means CleverShuttle can offer affordable prices, up to 40 per cent less than standard taxi prices.

For the second stage, just in time for Oktoberfest, Clevershuttle will also add 15 Toyota Mirai in Munich. This means visitors can travel from the train station to the famous folk festival emission-free.

“Handing over the Mirai is a momentous occasion for me”, explained Tom Fux, managing director and president of Toyota Deutschland GmbH. “We are proud that CleverShuttle chose us to be its trusted partner, relying solely on Toyota’s fuel-cell technology in Hamburg from now on. CleverShuttle has proven that using vehicles on an everyday basis, protecting the climate and keeping the air clean are not mutually exclusive. Instead we have formed an innovative, symbiotic relationship through the combination of clever technology and on-demand ride sharing.”

“We want to bring even more e-mobility to the street. Hydrogen and fuel cells provide a vital alternative and complement purely battery-powered vehicles”, explained Enak Ferlemann, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Transport. “In recent months, the number of public hydrogen fuel stations has nearly doubled. This is an impressive development and is increasing the level of driver trust when it comes to filling up in their area.”

CleverShuttle

CleverShuttle is a ride-sharing shuttle service that was founded in 2014.

Start of operations was in February 2016 (Initially Munich followed by Leipzig and Berlin).

MaaS Global Ltd was established in April 2016 to provide multi-modal transportation services.

Through its ‘Whim’ App, it enables customers to purchase a monthly subscription package that is tailored to their transportation needs (currently this includes public transport, e-hailing and car rental). The App is already operating in Helsinki with plans this year to expand to three other major cities in Europe and then expand to other cities around the Globe.

TFS is investing to explore a co-operation model for multi-modal mobility solutions, including the necessary technology. TFS will help MaaS Global accelerate market entry and build a long term and loyal customer base.

1/Toyota Financial Services (TFS)

TFS, wholly owned by Toyota Motor Corporation, was established in July 2000 as a holding company of Toyota’s financial subsidiaires worldwide. The TFS Group mission is to ‘provide sound financial services that contribute to the prosperous life for Toyota customers and others’. The global network includes more than 35 countries that serve more than 25 million customers.

2/ About MaaS Global Ltd

MaaS Global is a Finnish start-up company established in April 2016. Its business plan brings into reality the concept of Mobility as a Service (MaaS), by building the world’s first mobility ecosystem. MaaS Global aspires to upgrade the service level of transportation by joining together public and private transportation providers. Collaboration and integration of services will create a seamless and compelling travel experience for everyone, locally and globally. In addition to Toyota, current investors include e.g. Transdev, Karsan Otomotiv Sanayii and Ticaret AS, Veho Oy AB.

For more information, visit www.maas.global, www.whimapp.com

Innovation is transforming mobility. Transportation is becoming faster, cleaner, smarter and more inter-connected, with cities at the forefront of this change. The Toyota Mobility Foundation and the New Cities Foundation are already discussing a number of substantial research projects and initiatives in the urban mobility area. 

Latondra Newton, who also serves a Group Vice President and Chief Social Innovation Officer at Toyota Motor North America, will join the New Cities Foundation’s Board of Trustees, which provides strategic guidance and support on Foundation projects. Newton’s work is focused on advancing Toyota’s mission to address society’s greatest challenges through mobility solutions, bringing together diverse ideas and people to create positive business and social impact. Working with public and private partners around the world, her team harnesses Toyota’s expertise and resources to help more people go more places – so they can live better lives no matter where they are. 

Collaboration between the two Foundations began in June 2015 with the launch of the Connected Mobility Initiative led by New Cities Foundation’s senior fellow Greg Lindsay. The research initiative maps how public sector agencies are leading the charge on new mobility innovations. The initiative’s findings will be published later this year.

John Rossant, Chairman of the New Cities Foundation, said: "Innovation and creativity in urban mobility have always been at the core of the New Cities Foundation’s work to make our cities more livable. I am delighted that Toyota Mobility Foundation, a vanguard in new innovative transport solutions is joining the Foundation as a Global Strategic Member. Our partnership has incredible potential to make an impact on how we will move through cities in the future."

Latondra Newton, TMF Chief Program Officer, said: “We created the Toyota Mobility Foundation because we believe that mobility can broaden horizons and empower people to fulfill their potential, no matter where they live. Our expanded partnership with New Cities Foundation will allow us to advance our work by joining a global network of leaders who are focused on solving the most pressing challenges to cities around the world.”

Find out more about The New Cities Foundation at: www.newcitiesfoundation.org 

Find out more about Toyota Mobility Foundation at: www.toyotamobilityfoundation.org  

Find out more about The Connected Mobility Initiative at: http://www.newcitiesfoundation.org/connected-mobility-initiative/

Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF) today announced its second program, which will launch in Da Nang, Vietnam to address emerging transportation issues in the rapidly growing mid-size city.

The announcement follows news earlier in April 2015 from TMF regarding the launch of its first pilot program in Bangkok, Thailand. Both programs reflect the Foundation's philosophy of combining Toyota's knowledge with the expertise of partners to enable more people around the globe to move safely, efficiently and enjoyably.

For full details about the program, go to: http://newsroom.toyota.co.jp/en/detail/8163664/.

Within its Sustainable Mobility Project 2.0, the World Business Council for Sustainable Mobility (WBCSD) has developed a process to identify transport priorities and measures to enhance the transport systems of cities. It is now testing this process in six cities worldwide: Lisbon (Portugal), Campinas (Brazil), Chengdu (China), Indore (India), Bangkok (Thailand), and Hamburg (Germany).

Toyota, along with 14 other member companies, is playing an active role in the worldwide sustainability project of WBCSD. It will participate in a city task force with Hamburg's Department for Economy, Transport and Innovation, which will, at an initial stage, work under the leadership of Daimler to analyse the city's situation and develop recommendations on how to improve sustainability in Hamburg's transportation system.

Toyota is also leading a similar initiative in Bangkok (Thailand). "We are contributing Toyota's vast technical expertise and knowledge to make tomorrow's cities safer, more efficient and more environmentally sustainable," said Michel Gardel, Vice President for Communications, External and Environmental Affairs at Toyota Motor Europe.

The cooperation agreement recently signed between the City of Hamburg and the WBCSD will run until the end of 2015. For more information, please visit www.wbcsd.org/Pages/eNews/eNewsDetails.aspx.

Notes to Editors

Member companies of the worldwide Sustainable Mobility Project

BMW, BP, Bridgestone, Brisa, Daimler, Deutsche Bahn, Ford, Fujitsu, Honda, Michelin, Nissan, Pirelli, Shell, Toyota, Volkswagen.

About the Sustainable Mobility Project 2.0

This three year project (2013-2015) aims to speed and scale up the implementation of sustainable mobility solutions using the latest technological, systems and management developments to improve the situation including:

• Fostering optimal city and intercity approaches to sustainable mobility by promoting cross-sectoral cooperation, and encouraging cities to cooperate on implementation, supporting citizens who want to lead more sustainable lives.
• Contributing to a prosperous and positive society by minimizing negative aspects of mobility, such as traffic accidents, and energy and climate change constraints, and maximizing the positive impacts of moving goods and people through more comfortable, secure, safe, accessible, efficient and diverse mobility options.
• Developing a clear and compelling vision for future sustainable mobility and concrete recommendations to achieve it, taking an integrated approach to mobility, energy, information, and citizens' behavior and choices.
• Defining an objective metric for assessing the sustainability of mobility in cities. It will be used for evaluating the impact of mobility options in order to enable informed decisions for effectively improving the mobility stream.
• Driving common understanding among key mobility stakeholders (e.g. cities, business, and government), on opportunities and enabling environments for attractive, innovative business models for mobility improvement projects with social and economic benefits, and minimal environmental impact.

About the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) 

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), a CEO-led organisation of some 200 forward-thinking global companies, is committed to galvanising the global business community to create a sustainable future for business, society and the environment. Together with its members, the council applies its respected thought leadership and effective advocacy to generate constructive solutions and take shared action. Leveraging its strong relationships with stakeholders as the leading advocate for business, the council helps drive debate and policy change in favour of sustainable development solutions.

The new foundation will aim to create shared value between Toyota and society, by utilizing Toyota's core competencies to address needs ranging from mobility disparities in emerging countries to next generation mobility in developed markets. It will globally support programs by non-profit organizations, research institutions, and other groups that contribute to the development of an enhanced mobile society, and is expected to award grants totaling between approximately 3.0 billion yen to 4.5 billion yen per year. The grant selection process is to be established at a later date.

TMC will provide the foundation with a portion of its treasury shares, subject to approval at the general shareholders meeting scheduled for June of this year, with the foundation using the dividends for its operating capital.

Since its beginnings, Toyota has conducted business under its founding principle of "enriching lives of communities through automobiles". In line with this, it has undertaken social contribution programs in each region where it conducts business tailored to specific societal issues, such as environmental preservation, traffic safety and human resource development with a focus on manufacturing.

The new foundation will be the second established by TMC, with the first being the Toyota Foundation established in 1974 to provide grants that address issues according to specific needs of the times, including natural environments, social welfare, and education and culture.

The move is in recognition of the critical need to swiftly develop charging infrastructure facilities to promote the use of electric-powered vehicles. Assisted by subsidies provided by the Japanese government, the four automakers will bear part of the cost to install the charging facilities. They will also work together to build a convenient and accessible charging network in collaboration with companies that are already providing charging services in which each of the four automakers already have a financial stake.

At present, there are about 1,700 quick chargers and just over 3,000* normal chargers in Japan, which is generally recognized to be insufficient. In addition, the lack of sufficient coordination among existing charging providers can be improved to offer better charging service to customers. The government announced subsidies for installation of charging facilities totaling 100.5 billion yen as part of its economic policy for fiscal year 2013 to quickly develop the charging infrastructure and expand the use of electric-powered vehicles using alternative energy sources. Currently, each prefecture in Japan is drawing up a vision for the use of the subsidies. With this strong support, the four automakers will work together to install the chargers. Previously, each automaker assessed possible locations for charging facilities on their own. Now, they have agreed to work jointly under the common understanding that the charging infrastructure has public value and that enhancing it should be done quickly during the limited period that the subsidies are available.

Currently, there are three charging methods for electric-powered vehicles: basic charging, where a car is charged at private homes or condominiums destination charging, where a car is charged at locations such as shopping malls, do-it-yourself (DIY) stores and family restaurants for the return trip home and en-route charging at locations including expressway roadside service areas, roadside stations (michi no eki), gas stations, and convenience stores. In both destination and en-route charging, normal charging is suitable for longer-duration stops, while quick charging is appropriate for shorter stops.

In terms of utility, PHVs and PHEVs would benefit from an expanded charging network because it would maximize these vehicles' EV driving performance and combined fuel economy. EVs, which provide an emissions-free, clean driving experience, could harness a larger charging network to extend their range during longer trips.

Under the agreement, the four companies will launch a joint project to work on the following actions:

1. Promote installation of chargers in JapanStudies are underway to increase the number of normal chargers by 8,000 and quick chargers by 4,000. Normal chargers could be installed in commercial facilities (e.g. large shopping malls, DIY stores and family restaurants), which are destination charging spots or en-route charging spots with longer duration stops (e.g. highway service areas and roadside stations) when a vehicle could be charged. Quick chargers are to be installed at en-route charging spots for shorter-durations stops (e.g. highway parking areas, convenience stores and gas stations).

2. Promote charger installation by temporarily bearing part of the installation and maintenance costs

3. Build a charging infrastructure network which enables customers to use their PHVs, PHEVs and EVs more conveniently

Collaboration among companies currently providing charging services in which each automaker has already invested (Japan Charge Network Co., Ltd., Charging Network Development, llc and Toyota Media Service) would lead to the creation of a more convenient charging infrastructure network. One example is enabling the car's owner to charge his or her car at any charging spot with the same card.4. Work with government agencies and local governmentsElectric-powered vehicles are the driving force of alternative energy initiatives. The government aims to expand the use of the next-generation of these vehicles and have PHVs, PHEVs and EVs achieve a ratio of 15 to 20 percent of new car sales in 2020. The four automakers are committed to developing a charging infrastructure for a more user-friendly infrastructure and to contribute to creating a society where electric-powered vehicle use can maximized.*1 Plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHV) plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), electric vehicles (EV).*2 Based on data collected from Toyota, Nissan, Honda and Mitsubishi.

iZEUS is a project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Technologie) which examines how traffic and infrastructure can benefit from Information and Communications Technology (ICT). In this context, especially with regard to the rising percentage of renewable energy sources in the electricity grid, electric vehicles (EV) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHV) are starting to gain importance.

"International cooperation is important for innovative solutions. We are glad to contribute to the iZEUS project with our Prius Plug-in Hybrid vehicles," said Andy Fuchs, Director for Toyota Motor Europe's Berlin Office.

Toyota's Prius-Plug-in Hybrid features a battery that can be charged externally and enables pure electric driving range of up to 25 kilometres. Beyond the electric driving range, it can be used as a conventional full hybrid with all the efficiency of a standard Prius, and fully recharged from a domestic source when convenient, in just 1.5 hours.

With the Prius Plug-in Hybrid vehicles, ISI, ISE and KIT will examine driving and charging behaviour.

"Such field tests are very important especially for gaining experience regarding customer acceptance," said Prof. Dr. Martin Wietschel from ISI.

The data will serve as a basis for the integration of vehicles into future households, where decentralised energy production will play an important role. The data will also give information on the necessity of charging infrastructure and the sustainability of EVs and PHVs in the traffic system.

"We are glad to extend our work at the Energy Smart Home Lab on the South Campus of KIT with the Prius Plug-in Hybrids and to intensify our research in the field of smart grids," commented Prof. Dr. Wolf Fichtner from KIT.

###Notes to the editors:

About iZEUS:

iZEUS is a consortium consisting of the following partners: Adam Opel AG, ads-tec GmbH, Daimler AG, EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG, Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, PTV Group, SAP AG, TWT GmbH Science & Innovation.

For Grenoble and the Grenoble-Alpes Métropole, a fully electric car-sharing service has been identified as a solution to meet greenhouse-gas and other air-pollutant reduction targets. The project will provide a solution to meet the demand for "last mile" transportation and complement existing public transportation and car-sharing systems. EDF will install a charging network within the Grenoble-Alpes Métropole with charging points placed at public transportation stations to enable "last mile" transport and in areas where there is minimal public transportation. The project aims to fulfil the objectives of local public authorities to respond to the increasing need for mobility in the Ecocité area, while reducing car use.

For TMC, this project is part of research into comprehensive car-sharing schemes to explore the utility and business feasibility of co-modality transport solutions. The main objective of the research is to better understand the interconnection between the different modes of public and individual transportation in an urban environment, as well as to be able to better identify the exact needs of consumers in terms of "last mile" mobility.

For EDF Group, this project enables the evaluation for the feasibility of this new mobility system that is linked with charging stations and optimized for new urban traffic service. In addition, this project will provide a new IC-card-based personal identification and payment system, linking the charging stations with existing public transportation systems.

For Cité lib, this zero-emission urban car-sharing service will complement its current offering of mainly interurban self-service conventional gasoline and diesel car-sharing solutions.

The common challenge of the project will be to broaden consumer understanding and acceptance of car-sharing systems in preparation for its wider use the future.

TMC plans to supply nearly 70 ultra-compact electric vehicles, including the COMS ultra-compact vehicle produced by Toyota Auto Body, as well as a new vehicle based on the Toyota i-ROAD concept vehicle to be unveiled tomorrow at the Geneva Motor Show. These vehicles, with their compact dimensions, have been adapted specifically for urban driving, efficient use of parking spaces, and for "last mile" mobility needs.

TMC will also provide the One-Mile Mobility Management System, a unique centralized IT management system that will enable users to check location and availability of car-sharing vehicles and book them through smartphones. The system will also allow the fleet operator to optimise vehicle allocation throughout the charging station network.

For this project, EDF Group will set up a network of charging stations and introduce a system to manage their location information and availability. EDF Group will also provide knowledge about charging infrastructure and EV car-sharing, enhancing product and service for last-mile mobility.

Cité lib, which operates a car-sharing business in Grenoble, will handle daily operations and customer service. They will be in charge of responding to customer inquiries, subscription management, reservations and maintenance of vehicles and charging stations. They will also optimise vehicle availability throughout the charging station network.

Project overview: 

- Start of operation: End of 2014

- Project duration: 3 years

- Partners' roles:

o City of Grenoble: Allocation of parking spaces for the car-sharing system

o Grenoble Alpes Métropole: Connection to the Mobile Station trip planner

o Cité lib: Customer relationship management and daily vehicle and charger maintenance

o EDF: Planning, installation and operation of the charging infrastructure

o TMC: Supply of nearly 70 electric vehicles and provision of the One-Mile Mobility Management System to manage the interconnectivity between users, vehicles, charging stations and the web-based Mobile Station trip planner

¹A French governmental program supporting innovative urban projects such as sustainable urban development, introduction of alternative energy, and new traffic transportation systems. At this moment, 93 programs (in 13 cities) are recognized as "Ecocité". In Grenoble, a program in the northwest of the city is recognized.

² Agglomeration community

³A program supporting projects for new urban models such as innovative public transportation, alternative energy and new lifestyle approaches. The program is funded by a private investment group foundation, le group Caisse des Dépôts.

Press Contacts:

EDF

Estelle Joannin

+33 (0)4 69 65 66 16 mobile : +33 (0)6 13 47 53 76

estelle.joannin@edf.fr

Cité lib

Martin Lesage

mobile : +33 (0)6 19 79 08 73

martin.lesage@citelib.com

Ville de Grenoble

Sylviane SPINDLER-WEBEN

+33 (0)4 76 36 36 48

sylviane.spindler-weben@ville-grenoble.fr

Grenoble-Alpes Métropole

Olivier Renaud

+33 (0)4 76 59 59 51

olivier.renaud@lametro.fr

Emmanuel Chion

+33 (0)4 76 59 56 26

emmanuel.chion@lametro.fr

Toyota Motor Europe (TME) invites you to join the inaugural Manufacturer Focus webinar hosted by ACEA's Out Future Mobility Now project on January 12. During the live online presentation, TME will share its unique insight on the evolution of cars and motorised transport in the context of urban mobility.

More and more European citizens are now living in an urban setting. This means that cities and transport infrastructures around Europe are now facing an increase in challenges resulting from urban congestion, pollution, and traffic incidents. From this standpoint, the automotive industry has already begun researching and developing new and creative solutions to enhance and improve urban mobility for the future while reducing environmental impact.

Through this live webcast, TME's environmental expert, Stephan Herbst, will demonstrate how efficient and effective urban transport could enhance and contribute to improve the lives of urban dwellers. Lars Akkermans, researcher at Transport & Mobility Leuven, will join the discussions as a specialist in modelling human behaviour, offering concrete analysis on the impact of road safety measures and transport policy on society and the environment.

Join us on Thursday, January 12 at 17:00 CET to listen in or have your say by following this link:

http://www.futuremobilitynow.com/event/webinar-the-future-of-urban-mobility/

About the experts

Dr. Stephan Herbst, Senior Manager of Environmental Affairs at TME, studied business administration and economics and holds a PhD in Environmental Cost Management. For seven years, Stephan worked at a German OEM in both Germany and China before joining TME in 2005. He was responsible for the Environmental Strategy of TME before moving to Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan to take on the responsibilities of managing various environmental and energy related areas. Upon returning to Europe, he is now responsible for Low Carbon Mobility and TME's annual Sustainability Report. Stephan is a member of Toyota's Global Climate Change and Energy Team and is actively involved in mobility projects of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

Lars Akkermans, Researcher at Transport & Mobility Leuven, holds a Masters Degree in Psychology specialises in modelling human behaviour. His main area of expertise is the analysis of how road safety measures and transport policy affects human behaviour. Before joining Transport & Mobility Leuven, Lars worked for the Belgian Road Safety Institute and TNO Human Factors (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research) as a researcher for different European projects related to road safety as well as an analyst of different national and international measures in the field of enforcement, human interaction and technical advances in road safety. Merging and measuring theoretical models and practical impact has been a major part of his past work in the field of traffic law enforcement.

The Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid has an electric range of around 20 kilometres. In Electric Vehicle (EV) mode, the vehicles can speed up to a maximum of 100 km/h, supported by a 5.2 kWh lithium-ion battery. Besides the recuperation of braking power which is typical for a hybrid vehicle, the Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle can also be charged at an external charging point. It takes 90 minutes at a regular 230 Volt household plug. "By driving most of the daily trips in EV mode, the Prius Plug-in Hybrid reduces its CO2 emissions from 89 g/km to 59 g/km in the European test cycle as compared to the regular Prius. This corresponds to a fuel consumption of only 2.6 litres", highlights Koei Saga, Managing Officer of Toyota Motor Corporation. "Besides the battery-electric range of around 20 kilometres, the Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid offers the quality of a high-performance full hybrid. Therefore the user can take benefit of purely electric mobility and of a significantly longer range if needed", he added.

The demonstration takes place in the context of "Be-Mobility", a research project of the German Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development in Berlin-Potsdam. The vehicles were handed over on July 5th at the premises of the European Energy Forum (EUREF). On the EUREF trial platform, technical system integration will be tested and research results will be published.

The objective of BeMobility is to realise CO₂-free mobility in an urban environment, together with its partners Deutsche Bahn, Bosch, Contipark, DAI-Labor (Technical University Berlin), HaCON, the Innovation Centre for Mobility and Societal Change (InnoZ), RWE, SOLON, Vattenfall Europe and the transportation Berlin-Brandenburg. The well extended public transportation network in the region of the German capital will be completed by electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles in a way that not only makes the customers fully mobile but that also contributes to lower emissions in the city. As only regenerative energy will be offered at the charging stations, CO₂ emissions can be considerably reduced.

Ingeborg Junge-Reyer, Mayor of Berlin and Senator for Urban Development, said: "I'm happy to see that Deutsche Bahn and Toyota chose Berlin. Electric mobility has a future in Berlin. We need fresh ideas for sustainable and environmentally friendly transport systems. Electric vehicles can significantly reduce emissions and noise levels in the future and strongly contribute to the life quality in a city. The technology is still at an early stage. If we want to help electric mobility to brake through, we have to act now. In Berlin, there are about 70 battery charging stations with which we take a pioneer role as laboratory of the future of electric mobility."

— Toyota's 40 year quest for sustainable mobility

— 2.3 million Toyota hybrid vehicles already sold worldwide, accounting for 80% of global hybrid sales

— Modular Hybrid Synergy Drive® paves the way for diverse eco cars

— Flexible Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles — 'best of both worlds' extended EV range with no constraints

Heritage — a 40 year quest for sustainable mobility

Although the reduction of CO₂ emissions did not become a mainstream global issue until the 1990s (the 1997 Kyoto Protocol outlining specific numeric goals), Toyota has, in fact, been researching and developing environmentally-friendly mobility solutions for over 40 years in the quest for the ultimate eco car.

After addressing the possibilities of various types of hybrid systems in several research and development programmes, Toyota decided to focus its efforts on realising mass-production hybrid vehicles that could be made available to society at large.

This early vision has since been entirely vindicated. The world's first mass-produced full hybrid vehicle, the Prius, was launched in Japan in 1997 and in Europe in 2000. Its unique Hybrid Synergy Drive^® (HSD) powertrain established a major industry milestone in sustainable mobility and its name, meaning 'to go before' in Latin, quickly became symbolic of a car that was launched even before environmental awareness had become a mainstream social issue.

Today, while other manufacturers are only beginning to develop hybrid technology, Toyota has already launched the third generation of its multiple award-winning Prius.

The launch of the Auris HSD presages the introduction of as many as 10 new Toyota hybrid models globally by the early 2010s, with a target of achieving worldwide annual sales of one million hybrid vehicles within the same time frame.

Toyota has already sold 2.3 million hybrid vehicles worldwide (accounting for 80% of global hybrid sales), contributing to a reduction in automotive CO2 emissions of about 12 million tons and giving the company an unquestionable lead in the drive towards sustainable mobility.

Modular Hybrid Synergy Drive^® — the core technology platform

Though convinced that Hybrid Synergy Drive® is the core technology platform for the future, Toyota believes it is important to follow more than one path in the quest for environmentally-friendly mobility solutions.

Hybrid Synergy Drive® has been specifically designed to be modular and, adaptable to diverse energy sources, may be readily used in Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles (PHV), Electric Vehicles (EV) and Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicles (FCHV).

Plug-in hybrid technology — extended EV range with no constraints

70% of Europeans are expected to live in urban areas by 2015. As a result, the demand for environmentally-friendly, short distance commuter vehicles is expected to increase, and industry attention is now focused on electricity.

Electricity has high potential as an alternative to oil, may be produced from renewable sources such as solar, wind, tidal and hydro-electric power, can be readily supplied, and is carbon neutral at the point of consumption.

In this context, the environmental merits of EVs as urban commuters are well proven, and their future in providing sustainable mobility is assured.

However, the further development of such vehicles is currently handicapped by the weight, size and cost of the large capacity batteries required to offer satisfactory range, and the lack of an adequate recharging infrastructure.

In focusing on PHV technology, Toyota has addressed both of these issues. The Prius Plug-in Hybrid is a full hybrid vehicle in which both the electric motor and petrol engine can drive the wheels. A fully electric, EV mode is employed for city driving, while the hybrid powertrain's petrol engine awards the car true long range capability.

The Prius Plug-in Hybrid

— Plug-in Hybrid technology — a significant expansion of Hybrid Synergy Drive®

— Expanded, 20km EV driving range with zero CO₂, NOX and particulate emissions

— First Toyota full hybrid vehicle application of lithium-ion batteries

— 136 DIN hp delivers 0-100 km/h in 11.4 seconds and 180 km/h top speed — performance to match any conventional hatchback

— Combined fuel consumption of only 2.6 l/100 km — a reduction of 30% over that of the Prius

— Extraordinarily low CO₂ emissions of just 59 g/km

PHV technology — a significant expansion of Hybrid Synergy Drive®

Setting a new benchmark in environmentally-friendly mobility, the new Prius Plug-in Hybrid represents a significant expansion of the Hybrid Synergy Drive^® system's capabilities.

Building on the core technology of Toyota's renowned full hybrid powertrain, the Prius Plug-in Hybrid addresses the specific needs of urban-based customers with a significantly extended, fully-electric EV driving range for shorter journeys, while the hybrid powertrain's petrol engine awards the Prius Plug-in Hybrid true long range capability.

The Prius Plug-in Hybrid delivers impressive, seamless acceleration and remarkably quiet operation, while returning unparalleled fuel efficiency and the lowest possible emissions.

Performance — unparalleled fuel efficiency and emissions

The Hybrid Synergy Drive's^® powertrain generates a total system power output of 136 DIN hp, offering performance to match any conventional 2.0 litre diesel or petrol hatchback. The Prius Plug-in Hybrid will accelerate seamlessly from 0-100 km/h in 11.4 seconds, and on to a top speed of 180 km/h.

Thanks to its extended EV range, the Prius Plug-in Hybrid returns a remarkably low fuel consumption figure of only 2.6 l/100 km and CO₂ emissions of just 59 g in the European homologation combined cycle — a reduction of 30% over that of the Prius.

In addition, the new PHV generates significantly lower NOx emissions than diesel engined cars of comparable performance, and zero particulates.

When operating in its extended EV mode, the Prius Plug-in Hybrid generates zero CO₂ and NOx emissions, driving for up to 20 kilometres at speeds of up to 100 km/h, dependant on battery charge and driving conditions.

Hybrid Synergy Drive^® — PHV system architecture

The Prius Plug-in Hybrid adopts the same full hybrid system architecture as the normal Prius, with the additional benefit of a larger battery that can be plugged-in and recharged from an external power source.

Hence, the Prius Plug-in Hybrid features a 1.8 litre VVT-i petrol engine, a powerful electric motor, a generator, a high performance lithium-ion battery and a power control unit. A power split device employs a planetary gear set to combine and re-allocate power from the engine, electric motor and generator according to operational requirements. The full hybrid drive system's seamless, E-CVT continuously variable transmission is controlled by Shift-by-Wire technology.

Powered by the lithium-ion battery, the electric motor works in tandem with the petrol engine to boost acceleration during normal driving. Power allocation is constantly adjusted between engine and electric motor to combine optimum performance with maximum fuel efficiency.

The electric motor alone powers the driven wheels when the Prius Plug-in Hybrid is operating in EV mode. An EV range of up to 20 km is dictated by battery charge and driving conditions. However, once the EV battery charge has been consumed, the Prius Plug-in Hybrid automatically operates as a full hybrid until recharged from an external power supply, thus eradicating the limited range constraints of a conventional electric vehicle.

Maximising the Hybrid Synergy Drive® system's efficiency, the electric motor also acts as a high-output generator during deceleration and under braking, to effect regenerative braking. Normally wasted as heat, kinetic energy is recovered as electrical energy for storage in the high performance lithium-ion battery.

Lithium-ion batteries — a Toyota full hybrid first

The Prius Plug-in Hybrid marks the introduction of lithium-ion batteries in a Toyota hybrid vehicle for two key reasons: firstly, having superior volume energy density, they are more compact than their nickel-metal hydride counterparts, offering a significant increase in EV driving range with minimal adverse weight or packaging issues. Secondly, they may be recharged far more quickly than nickel-metal hydride alternatives.

Two thirds of the battery pack must be recharged through connection to an external, plug-in electricity supply. The remaining third is integrated within the Prius Plug-in Hybrid's full hybrid drive system in the conventional manner, and is constantly recharged during normal system operation.

The complete battery pack of a Prius Plug-in Hybrid can be fully recharged in 1.5 hours from a standard, 230V household outlet.

Enhanced Eco driving experience

From start up and at speeds of less than 100 km/h, the new Prius Plug-in Hybrid automatically operates in EV mode, driving under electric motor power to offer an extraordinarily smooth and quite ride. Requiring full hybrid technology, this unique driving mode is not available to drivers of mild hybrid vehicles.

With vehicle range dictated by battery charge, the EV drive mode allows for urban driving with minimal noise and zero CO₂ and NOX emissions for up to 20 kilometres, contributing to a significant reduction in the new Prius Plug-in Hybrid's overall fuel consumption.

Two alternative, 'on-demand' drive modes - ECO and POWER - may be selected to further increase driving efficiency, performance and fuel economy.

In ECO mode, throttle response to aggressive accelerator pedal inputs is reduced and air-conditioning control optimized for improved fuel economy. Depending on driving conditions, the ECO mode can help drivers achieve a perceptible reduction in fuel consumption.

The POWER mode also modifies the response of the Prius Plug-in Hybrid to throttle inputs, here boosting power to improve acceleration and enhance driving pleasure. The POWER mode provides a 25% higher throttle response to accelerator pedal input.

Extensive driving support monitors

The Prius Plug-in Hybrid features comprehensive Eco driving support for those who wish to adopt even more environmentally-friendly driving techniques. Various new functions have been incorporated in the Eco Drive Monitor from the normal Prius, allowing customers to maximise the benefits of the PHV's extended EV driving range.

The Hybrid System Indicator dial shows the point at which the engine will start under acceleration, allowing the driver to moderate throttle inputs and maximise the use of the EV mode.

The Energy Monitor - which displays the current operating conditions of the engine and the flow of electric power in real time - incorporates an EV driving range display, showing how far the Prius Plug-in Hybrid can travel under electric motor power alone with the remaining battery charge.

In addition, an EV Driving Ratio indicator shows how much of the total distance driven so far has been under electric motor power alone.

In combination, these functions help drivers to develop relaxed, fuel efficient driving techniques and maximise both EV driving and overall hybrid system efficiency.

Unique plug-in features exclusive to PHV

Making full use of a PHV design that accesses electricity from an external power source, the Prius Plug-in Hybrid features a unique, Remote Climate Control System.

This is a pre-air conditioning system, capable of both heating and cooling the vehicle interior when the car is plugged in, offering occupants a comfortable cabin temperature from the moment they get into the vehicle. It also improves the overall efficiency of HSD, by minimising air conditioner energy consumption during vehicle start up, further lowering fuel consumption.

An innovative graphic display of a growing forest lets customers see in real terms the benefits of battery charging for CO₂ emissions reduction.

The computer graphic image is based on how much CO₂ is absorbed by a tree in a one year period. Whilst the vehicle is plugged in, the system calculates the reduction in CO₂ emissions effected by the use of an external power source, determines the equivalent number of trees, and gradually grows them one at a time in the display. As more trees are grown, a forest is formed to show the driver's contribution to environmental preservation.

Limited lease programme

— Ongoing since 2007 — Toyota PHV evaluation in partnership with EDF

— Worldwide limited lease of 600 Prius Plug-in Hybrids in 2010, of which 200 will be distributed throughout Europe.

— European programme begins with about one hundred PHVs in Strasbourg, France — key partnership and highest concentration of Prius Plug-in Hybrids

— Simultaneous creation of European recharging infrastructure by EDF and subsidiaries in office and public car parks, public roads and users' homes

Background — ongoing PHV evaluation in partnership with EDF, since 2007

At a ceremony in Tokyo on 14th December 2009, Toyota handed the Mayor of Strasbourg, Roland Ries, the key to the first new generation Prius Plug-in Hybrid. This event marked the start of a worldwide limited lease project involving some 600 vehicles, of which 200 will be distributed throughout Europe.

This is the second phase of Toyota's global PHV viability verification project. The first phase was announced by the company in July 2007, and involved about 20 vehicles, of which four in Europe. This first phase, marking the start of Toyota's ongoing partnership with French energy company EDF, was dedicated to intensive research and development through real life road trials in France and the UK, with a specific focus:

— on the relationship between the new technology involved and its users

— and on research into the development of a public, private and company recharging infrastructure.

The limited lease programme

Toyota's European Prius Plug-in Hybrid limited lease project starts in Strasbourg, France, at the end of April 2010, with the three year leasing about 100 Prius Plug-in Hybrids by private companies and other organisations, including government bodies, local authorities, energy providers and a car sharing company.

Some 20 vehicles will be introduced in the UK, and another 20 in Germany. The remaining vehicles will be dispatched to other European countries including Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, Portugal and Spain.

Toyota also has plans to introduce the Prius Plug-in Hybrid on a global scale, with participants including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the United States of America.

The ultimate goal of the limited lease project is to bring the Prius-Plug-in Hybrid to the market in a few years.

Real world driver behaviour analysis

Both in Europe and around the world, the limited lease programme will allow Toyota to fine tune its ongoing PHV research and development. The gathering of real world vehicle-use feedback will enable the company to better understand customer expectations of plug-in technology, while spurring the development of a public access charging station infrastructure.

All Prius Plug-in Hybrids will be equipped with data retrieval devices which will monitor everyday user activities such as when, and how often, the vehicle is charged, the extent of battery depletion at the time of charging, trip duration, percentage of EV use and EV range, and fuel efficiency.

Strasbourg — chosen by Toyota and EDF as a key viability project partner

The city of Strasbourg, France, has been chosen as the key viability project partner by Toyota and EDF in the investigation of market acceptability of PHV technology.

The city of Strasbourg has had a notably advanced mobility strategy in place for a long time, making it the ideal location for a large-scale demonstration of the urban-friendly practicalities of the Prius Plug-in Hybrid.

« This project is an international recognition of our initiatives towards sustainable mobility, which started more than 20 years ago » said Roland Ries, Mayor of Strasbourg. « The arrival of these plug-in hybrid vehicles in our urban landscape will open a new chapter in our transport policy. »

The project has received financial support via the Research Fund for Low Carbon Vehicles managed by the French Environment and Energy Management Agency, ADEME.

EDF will create a complimentary recharging infrastructure. It will install charging points at the facilities of project partners, in public parking lots, on public roads and reinforced plugs at users' homes.

The Future

— Prius Plug-in Hybrid paves the way for diverse Hybrid Synergy Drive® applications and co-existing eco car variants

— Advances in battery technology, and charging and fuelling infrastructures fundamental to Electric Vehicle (EV) and Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle (FCHV) development

— Electric Vehicle technology — providing short- to mid-term sustainable mobility

— Hydrogen fuel cell technology — the potential to change the face of motoring forever

Prius Plug-in Hybrid — paving the way for diverse applications of Hybrid Synergy Drive®

Prius Plug-in Hybrid represents just one further application of Hybrid Synergy Drive®, the core technology in Toyota's quest for sustainable mobility.

Rather than the former replacing the latter, both standard and Plug-in versions of the Prius full hybrid will co-exist on the market for the foreseeable future.

With the new Prius Plug-in Hybrid targeting the most environmentally conscientious, urban-based customers, it is expected to be some time before its sales outstrip those of the Prius itself.

Hybrid Synergy Drive^® is readily adaptable to use in Electric Vehicles (EV) and Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicles (FCHV). However, the mass production of EVs and FCHVs remains dependent on two key factors: a significant advance in battery technology, and the provision of comprehensive recharging and refuelling infrastructures for both electric and hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles.

Electric Vehicle Technology — providing short-to mid-term sustainable mobility

Toyota has already accumulated an unprecedented depth of knowledge and engineering capability in the field of electric vehicles (EVs). Ten years ago, some 1,900 RAV4 EV battery-electric vehicles were either sold or leased over the course of a three year test programme. Nearly half of these 160 km-driving range, large battery vehicles are still on the road.

However, even with a 160 km range, EVs as a primary mode of transportation do not offer what most customers see as true mobility- and the absence of a comprehensive recharging infrastructure continues to hinder market acceptance of the battery electric concept.

Nonetheless, through further advances in battery technology, and cooperation with governments, related organisations and other companies in charging infrastructure development, Toyota believes these obstacles will be overcome.

To that end, Toyota has continued with the development of short range EVs for commercialisation. At the 2009 Tokyo Motorshow, the company unveiled its FT-EV II concept, a small commuter EV with a top-speed of 100km/h and a driving range of over 90km. Toyota plans to launch a lithium-ion battery equipped EV by 2012 in the US.

Battery Technology — the key to true EV mobility

The battery is a key element in hybrid technology. There is no doubt that battery technology has progressed significantly in the 13 years since the introduction of the first Prius. Each successive generation has seen a reduction in battery pack size, weight and cost, yet improved efficiency.

However, challenges still remain. For instance, the cost of lithium-ion batteries needs to be reduced significantly, or a more affordable alternative found.

Fully committed to the most rapid possible advances in battery technology, Toyota established its own Battery Research Department in June 2008 and has been developing in-house battery technology since the early 1990s.

By September 2010, Toyota's successful joint-venture partnership with Panasonic EV Energy (PEVE) will have a production capacity of 1.1 million battery packs per year.

Fuel Cell Technology — the potential to change the face of motoring forever

With the potential to offer lasting solutions to environmental and energy source problems, Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicles are considered by many to represent the closest thing yet to the ultimate eco-car.

Fuel cells produces electricity through a chemical reaction between hydrogen (stored in the vehicle) and oxygen (from the air), with no other emissions but water vapour.

A fuel cell can convert as much as 80% of hydrogen's energy into usable power - about twice the efficiency possible with current generation petrol engines.

Toyota began work on FCHVs in 1992. The company applies its own HSD technology to FCHV development, replacing petrol engines with fuel cells, and conventional fuel tanks with high pressure hydrogen counterparts.

Toyota's latest fuel cell hybrid, the FCHV-adv, received vehicle-type certification from Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on June 3rd 2008. This vehicle can travel 830 kms on a single tank of hydrogen, emitting only water vapour.

Though a fuel cell vehicle emits no CO2, the emissions resulting from various hydrogen production methods must be considered for an accurate, well-to-wheel appraisal of FCHV energy efficiency and environmental impact.

Moreover, a smooth shift to a hydrogen-based society will be a significant undertaking. Reaching a consensus on how to produce hydrogen, how to deliver it and how to implement a fuelling infrastructure depends on the combined efforts of all sectors of society, including governments.

To that end - and in anticipation of the imminent commercialisation of a number of FCHVs - Toyota, Ford, Daimler, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai/Kia and Renault/Nissan signed a Letter of Understanding in September 2009 calling for oil and energy companies and government organisations to cooperate in the creation of hydrogen infrastructure networks of sufficient density in Europe, Japan, Korea and the United States by 2015.

In 2010, Toyota started a three-year Fuel Cell hybrid vehicle programme, involving 120 advanced FCHVs around the world, including Europe, to demonstrate the technology's performance, reliability and everyday practicality.

In 2010, Toyota joined the Clean Energy Partnership, an organisation supporting the development of fuel cell technology and hydrogen supply infrastructure in Germany. Toyota will contribute five FCHV-adv to the programme in Germany by 2011.

Our goal is to introduce this technology on the market in 2015.

For this demonstration, EDF, with the operational support of its subsidiary Electricité de Strasbourg (ES), will ensure, within the context of a technical and financial partnership with all stakeholders, the set-up of more than 150 charging points at users' homes, at the private parking of partner companies, in public parking lots and on public roads. Some vehicles use an innovative charging system developed by EDF, able to control the communication between the plug and the vehicle, while ensuring safe charging. The objective is to facilitate the identification of the vehicle and invoicing of the consumed energy. In addition, German energy provider EnBW (Energie Baden-Württemberg AG, EDF Group), will extend the programme to Baden-Württemberg, Germany, by demonstrating ten PHVs and their dedicated charging infrastructure.

As partner of the demonstration project, the City and the Urban Community of Strasbourg will lease five PHVs. They have ensured the set-up of public charging points and charging points along public roads and provide a subsidy to the local car sharing company to lease three PHVs. The remaining vehicles will be leased to various public institutions and private companies.

For ADEME, this project is part of its "research demonstrators" programme, whose purpose is to test future technologies allowing the reduction of greenhouse gases. The automotive industry faces major challenges, requiring alternatives to conventional internal combustion engines. This programme is one of eleven projects selected in a call for interest in the Demonstrators Fund on low-emission vehicles launched by ADEME in 2008. This experiment in real-world conditions is essential to validate not only the feasibility of the involved technologies but also their adoption by daily users, and to prepare tomorrow's world.

A Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle uses Toyota's full hybrid technology, with the added benefit that its battery can be recharged using a standard electrical plug. Toyota's PHV is "the best of both worlds": for short distances, it can be driven as an electric vehicle, resulting in a silent, zero CO2 emissions drive. For longer distances, the PHV works as a conventional hybrid vehicle, providing all the benefits of Toyota's full hybrid technology, including low emissions and fuel consumption, and excellent driving performance. Toyota expects the PHV to bring unsurpassed fuel efficiency and therefore record low emissions — as compared to any other mass-market vehicle on roads today. Based on the third generation Prius, the new Prius Plug-in Hybrid is equipped with a lithium-ion battery and emits only 59g CO2 per km in the New European Driving Cycle (1).

"Plug-in Hybrid technology is a key driver on our road towards sustainable mobility", Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) Executive Vice-President Takeshi Uchiyamada said at a press conference today. "Based on Toyota's full hybrid powertrain, PHV is the most practical way of increasing the use of electricity for personal transport today. We now need to investigate the market acceptance of this new technology, so on the occasion of this launch today in Strasbourg, we are delighted to kick-off our Pan-European limited lease programme. This will provide 200 vehicles to selected public and private customers in 18 European countries.

"Henri Proglio, Chairman and CEO of EDF explained: "We intend to use EDF innovation for the development of electric vehicles and for sustainable mobility which will be less polluting. For EDF, the demonstration that we launch today with Toyota, with the City of Strasbourg, with ADEME and with the partners and users is a three-fold world premier. EDF is proud to engage in a great industrial adventure involving the expertise of a manufacturer, an energy provider and public bodies.

"Roland Ries, Mayor of Strasbourg and Vice President of the Urban Community, in charge of transport said: "Speaking on behalf of the City and the Urban Community, I am pleased to be able to host this unique experiment that will be taking place over the next 3 years. The Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle project, sponsored jointly by Toyota and EDF, shows how important it is nowadays to combine technological breakthroughs and innovative initiatives with sustainable development. This is not a first for Strasbourg. Its attractive modern tram system and its bicycle-friendly policy adopted more than 20 years ago have already earned it a reputation as a pioneer. What we wish to see now is that Strasbourg keeps going in the same direction, taking part in other innovative actions like this one in the field of sustainable transport. Strasbourg has a duty to maintain the special position it holds in this field, both in France and in Europe".