In Europe, Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK’s (TMUK) Burnaston plant in Derbyshire is home to the first Toyota Circular Factory, a first‑of‑its‑kind project establishing methods and standards for a future network of circular facilities across the region. Building on this progress, a second TCF will open in Poland this year.

At Burnaston, aluminium recovered from alloy wheels at TCF-UK is processed and prepared for re‑use, then supplied to Toyota’s Deeside plant where it is incorporated into engine component production. These hybrid power units then return to Burnaston for installation in new Toyota Corolla vehicles, effectively closing the loop from old wheel to new engine. The first vehicle benefiting from this circular process came off the line on 19^th March, marking a significant step forward in Toyota’s ambition to expand the use of recovered, recycled and re‑used materials and parts.

Using Toyota Production System (TPS) principles, the TCF goes beyond optimising the recovery of parts and materials from end‑of‑life vehicles. It evaluates how circular approaches can support more efficient vehicle design, manufacturing and lifecycle management in the future.

The importance of circularity today 

The TCF directly supports the goals of the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050, a series of environmentally focused targets announced in 2015 to provide Toyota with a framework for achieving carbon neutrality in all its global products and operations - a status it aims to reach in Europe by 2040. In particular, it aligns with the fifth challenge, the building of a recycling-based society and systems.  

The importance of circularity in Europe is increasing with new regulations requiring more efficient recycling and materials recovery, reshaping the landscape of end-of-life vehicle disposal. Toyota sees this as an opportunity to create new industrial models that can deliver greater materials traceability and anticipate future requirements rather than simply meeting them.  

Circularity provides a clear, practical approach to keep resources in use for as long as possible, as the highest value.  

In practice, the key benefits are:  

• Reduced dependence on and use of virgin materials
• Design of vehicles for easier dismantling, re-use and repair
• Extending vehicle lifecycles through safe and standardised refurbishment techniques
• Efficient recovery of materials at vehicle end-of-life
• Returning recovered materials back into manufacturing processes 

Choosing TMUK Burnaston 

TMUK Burnaston was chosen as an ideal location to initiate the circular factory concept as the UK has one of Europe’s largest end-of-life vehicle markets. As it is one of very few right-hand drive nations in Europe, most of the vehicles sold here remain in the country through to the end of their lifecycle. This has led to the development of a mature and highly experienced dismantling sector and learning ecosystem. 

Moreover, TMUK was the first Toyota operation in Europe to manufacture hybrid vehicles, putting in place a strong foundation of manufacturing expertise and technical know-how. Since the start of operations in 1992, Burnaston has produced more than five million cars and has already embedded a number of circular processes within its drive for environmental excellence, including recycling streams and the use of recovered materials. For example, aluminium recovered from car wheels at TCF-UK is recycled into new engine casting at TMUK’s Deeside plant in North Wales before being reintroduced on the assembly line at the Burnaston plant. 

Step-by-step process 

TCF Burnaston operates a step-by-step process for handling end-of-life vehicles which covers not just their dismantling but also analysis of how recovered parts and materials can be reintroduced into the circular manufacturing concept. And it isn’t just Toyota and Lexus vehicles that are handled: models from multiple brands are processed, giving broader insights into dismantling methods, the composition of different materials and different real-world vehicle experiences. 

It differs from established dismantling operations in that it benefits from the same Toyota Production System methodologies that have transformed global manufacturing efficiency. Effectively these are being applied “in reverse” to maximise circularity efficiency and results. 

The first stage involves the controlled deployment of airbags to ensure safe handling before dismantling begins. Throughout the dismantling process, all fluids and gases are then carefully removed using compliant, monitored procedures.

Next comes standardised dismantling, carried out by trained technicians who bring their Toyota manufacturing experience to the task, applying familiar assembly methodologies in reverse.

The recovered materials are then sorted and classified, with careful separation of metals, plastics and mixed items for efficient downstream processing. 

This enables early-stage research into how these can be repurposed and identification of pathways to bring them back into the manufacturing value chain. Learnings are also gained into how materials behave, their durability and how easy or difficult they are to access in the dismantling and recovery process.  

In the longer term, this will help inform the design of vehicles that are easier to repair, dismantle and manage at the end of their lifecycle. TCF’s structured reverse manufacturing provides a feedback loop into Toyota’s product designing, helping the company progress towards establishing systems in which resources can be re-used with maximum efficiency. 

Alongside dismantling, the Burnaston site has also introduced vehicle refurbishment to safely and consistently extend a car’s lifecycle. Each refurbished vehicle is assessed, graded, and validated to Toyota standards, drawing on the plant’s established manufacturing and quality-control expertise.

Future plans 

Following the launch of the first TCF at TMUK Burnaston in summer 2025, Toyota has already announced a second location in Europe at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Poland’s Wałbrzych plant, the next step in building a regional network of circular operations with the potential to go beyond Toyota’s own activities and contribute to the wider manufacturing ecosystem. 

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.

Cities were invited to enter the Challenge by identifying areas in which innovation would help them expand access to safe, affordable, and inclusive modes of transportation; harness the power of data to create connected and resilient mobility ecosystems; and reduce environmental impact through low-carbon and renewable solutions.

 Over 200 entries were received during this entry period from over 150 cities in 46 countries globally. They were assessed on the impact the Challenge would have, the receptiveness of the issue to open innovation approaches, capacity within the city, and the focus of the entry. The shortlist includes cities in Brazil, Colombia, India, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

In this tough competition two European cities made it to the shortlist:

Venice, Italy

The world-renowned “City of Canals” is one of the most unique cities in the world. Over the last few years, the City of Venice has been improving its sustainable mobility infrastructures and services. However, such investments have not resulted in a higher number of users relying on sustainable means of transportation. The Challenge could help to invert this trend using innovative solutions.

The city’s unique geography requires an integrated transportation system that works across both land and water.

York, United Kingdom 
York is a perfect mix of heritage and hi-tech, with a Viking past and Roman roots, the ancient city of York is seeking to use existing and future innovation to future-proof mobility in the city.

Transport is almost a third of York’s total emissions, negatively impacting health, wellbeing, and the city’s architectural heritage. A 2030 Net Zero target recognizes that the need to shrink the impact of each journey is critical. York’s Challenge would seek to empower sustainable mode choices while increasing the affordability of passenger and goods movements.

The city wants to combine its fragmented modes of public, shared and private transportation into a single, cohesive fleet to increase accessibility, affordability, reduce emissions and journey times.

Other shortlisted cities globally are:

Bengaluru, India 

Bengaluru is predicted to be the fastest-growing city in the Asia-Pacific and is the second most congested city in the world where traffic accidents are common. The ever-expanding city is looking for innovative ways to enhance road safety by crowdsourcing the identification of road safety concerns such as faulty traffic signals and accident-prone areas.  

Detroit, United States 

Detroit, known as the first motor city, has a heavy manufacturing and commercial freight industry. High vehicle traffic has led to severe health and environmental problems, particularly poor air quality. To combat these issues, Detroit aims to address growing freight emissions as global trade expands. 

Fortaleza, Brazil 

Fortaleza, has revolutionized its urban mobility systems in the last 10 years. However, there are still challenges to be overcome, such as access to public transport for low-income communities. Now, the city is seeking ways to make transportation more affordable and efficient.

Medellín, Colombia 

Nicknamed the “City of Eternal Spring,” Medellín’s mountainous terrain and sloping streets create significant mobility challenges for people with disabilities and those who care for them - the majority of whom are women and low-income workers. The region is looking for integrated approaches to make mobility more inclusive and accessible.  

Mexico City, Mexico 

The historic center of Mexico City is not only a World Heritage Site, but also the largest commercial hub in the city. Its heritage status means that it is difficult to carry out substantial modifications to the urban landscape or its infrastructure. The city needs to find innovative ways to improve its transport systems to meet the needs of its residents.

New Orleans, United States 

Known for its French and Spanish Creole architecture and rich culture, the “Big Easy” faces a huge challenge: evacuations ahead of rapidly intensifying hurricanes. As the increase of rapidly intensifying hurricanes threaten coastal communities, the City of New Orleans and stakeholder partners seek an innovative solution to the challenge of evacuating vulnerable residents as hurricanes become increasingly dangerous on a much shorter timeline.

Seberang Perai, Malaysia 

Evidence points to a settlement in Seberang Perai since the Neolithic era. Today, industrial parks consume large amounts of energy and produce high levels of emissions, creating health risks for nearby communities. As the Batu Kawan Industrial Park in Seberang Perai expands, the city aims to work with local businesses and industry to reduce the carbon footprint and environmental impact of freight. 

Varanasi, India 

One of the world's oldest continually inhabited cities, Varanasi has seen the use of e-rickshaws grow exponentially in recent years. However, the sector is currently highly disorganized and poorly regulated. The city is looking for ways in which efficiency can be optimized, with routes more evenly distributed across the city. 

The shortlisted cities will be invited to attend a capacity building academy and will receive support developing their challenge design, becoming part of a wider network of other innovative city teams. Open innovation Challenges often develop and evolve throughout the process as the city’s specific needs are understood more closely.  

Three cities from the shortlist will be selected to launch their own City Challenges and in mid-2024, the call will be launched to global innovators to work with the winning cities. Innovators could be homegrown - living in the city or country chosen - or may be from anywhere across the globe, but with solutions applicable and tailored to the winning cities. 

The semi-finalist innovators for each city will be decided in late 2024, and the winning cities and innovators who are announced in 2026 will share $9 million in funding to test and roll out their solutions.

The Sustainable Cities Challenge is funded by the Toyota Mobility Foundation and has been designed in partnership with Challenge Works and World Resources Institute. Challenge Works is an international leader in developing challenge programs to drive new thinking and find creative solutions to problems facing society. World Resources Institute is a global research organization which works with partners to develop practical solutions that improve people’s lives and ensure that nature can thrive.

To find out more, visit the Sustainable Cities Challenge website.

^{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 design and delivery of open innovation challenges that incentivises diverse innovative thinkers to solve pressing problems and unlock change. The most promising solutions are rewarded with seed funding and expert support, and the innovation that is the best or quickest to solve the problem wins the grand prize. This approach levels the playing field for innovators from any background or experience to apply their ingenuity for societal impact. Founded by Nesta, the UK’s innovation foundation for social good, they are a social enterprise that has delivered 87 challenges to date and distributed more than £124 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 1,700 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.}

Toyota’s Ever Better Mobility for All philosophy believes that freedom of movement is fundamental for a diverse society. Toyota is on its way to becoming a mobility company, working to reduce obstacles to move for all, regardless of their physical abilities. With many thousands of athletes, staff and volunteers, Paris 2024 will be a demonstration of what is possible when we work together for a better and more inclusive society.

In collaboration with the IOC, the IPC and the Paris Organising Committee of Olympic and Paralympic Games, Toyota is dedicated to making Paris 2024 the most innovative showcase of inclusive and sustainable mobility to date. That starts by making sure that athletes and their families, staff, volunteers, and spectators can all move around sustainably and safely.

Ensuring ‘Mobility for All’

During the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024, Toyota will provide solutions to enable the ease of movement for all. To that end, Toyota will offer personal and group mobility products that are designed to enable ease of movement for everyone.

At Paris 2024, Toyota will make available around 250 personal battery electric vehicles – seated C⁺walk_S and standing C⁺walk_T. Both have a maximum speed of 6 km/h and are enabled with front obstacle detection systems to ensure the safety of the drivers and those nearby. The seated version will be available to athletes, organisers and volunteers, whereas the standing version will be distributed to staff and volunteers to facilitate their movement around the Paris 2024 venues.

For wheelchair users, Toyota will also provide wheelchair e-pullers. Fifty of the e-pullers will be available throughout the Paris 2024 in the athletes’ village. An additional 150 will be made available during the Paralympic Games opening ceremony to make sure that athletes in wheelchairs have easy access to join this unique event.

To ensure fair and easy access to these personal micro-mobility solutions in the Paralympic Village, Toyota will offer them as a shared mobility service powered by KINTO Share mobile app. Sharing of these products will maximize their usage by Paralympians and staff, as well as keep the operations more efficient.

In addition to personal micro-mobility solutions, Toyota will deploy around 250 zero tailpipe emission electric Accessible People Movers (APM). Building on the vehicle’s success at the Tokyo 2020 Games, the new APM has been redesigned and built in Europe with the spirit of inclusivity in mind.  

Toyota’s APMs are designed to support all athletes, as well as organisers, volunteers, and spectators with physical disabilities, including wheelchair users. They will take on roles of main shuttle in the Olympic and Paralympic Village, and at the venues; some will in parallel move small goods across the Games and a number of them will be designated as an emergency relief vehicle. APMs will operate mainly inside the Paris 2024 security zones, bringing Toyota’s ‘Mobility for All’ vision into reality.

Toyota will also provide 150 wheelchair-accessible battery electric vehicles Toyota Proace Verso to support the mobility of the Olympic and Paralympic family members in wheelchairs. After Paris 2024, all vehicles will remain in Paris region where they will be used to provide specialised personal transport services to people in wheelchairs.

Overall, Toyota plans to provide 700 personal last-mile mobility products such as C+walk_S, C+walk_T, wheelchair e-pullers, 250 APMs, as well as 150 wheelchair-accessible Toyota Proace, among other mobility solutions. This way, Toyota will ensure that athletes, volunteers and organisers have access to the most inclusive and sustainable mobility fleet ever seen at the Olympic and Paralympic games.

A more sustainable fleet

Sustainability is a significant part of Toyota’s commitment to building a better world, underlined by its Environmental Challenge 2050, by which date the company aims to achieve carbon neutrality at a global level – and in Europe by 2040. That is why Toyota’s multipath strategy, combining different electrified vehicles, is at the core of the Toyota fleet to be made available to the Olympic and Paralympic family at Paris 2024. Toyota will bring a 100% electrified passenger vehicle fleet to Paris, in line with its commitment to reduce carbon emissions.

Overall, Toyota will bring more than 2,650 electrified passenger vehicles to be used during Paris 2024 of which 150 are wheelchair accessible. Around 60% of the fleet will have zero-tailpipe emissions, including battery electric vehicles (BEV) Toyota bZ4X, Proace and Proace Verso and Lexus RZ, and fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEV) Toyota Mirai.

During the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024, Toyota will provide 500 of its hydrogen-fuelled FCEVs Mirai to enable zero tailpipe emission movement for the Olympic and Paralympic family, athletes, organisers and volunteers alike. After the games, all 500 vehicles will join the existing Paris hydrogen taxi fleet, thereby increasing the number of FCEV vehicles to 1,500.

In addition to zero tailpipe emission vehicles, Toyota will also bring around 1,000 hybrid (HEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicles – Toyota’s global best-selling RAV4 in both PHEV and HEV versions, as well as Toyota Corolla TS, Yaris Cross, and Highlander, all with hybrid technology.

Furthermore, the official fleet will be complemented by additional vehicles connected via Toyota’ car-sharing service KINTO. The car sharing will give the Olympic and Paralympic family even more flexibility to move around.

Overall, Toyota aims to reduce vehicle carbon emissions at the Paris 2024 Games by 50% compared to those of previous Games. Furthermore, nearly 60% of all Toyota’s fleet will be produced in Europe, including 37% in France, contributing to the vision of a sustainable and locally sourced Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Building a sustainable hydrogen mobility legacy

Toyota believes that hydrogen is a key pillar for the creation of a low-carbon and a more sustainable society. That is why the company has put it at the heart of its mobility concept for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. During the Paris 2024, Toyota will showcase its vision of building a sustainable hydrogen ecosystem through a demonstration of hydrogen solutions that further push the boundaries of hydrogen-powered mobility.

In addition to the 500 Toyota Mirai FCEVs, Toyota will also bring specific applications that go beyond the traditional automotive offering. Overall, Toyota and its partners are planning to showcase up to 10 different hydrogen mobility, mostly fuel-cell, applications – a significant increase from Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022. Applications will range from buses and trucks to boats and forklifts – all demonstrating the potential of hydrogen-powered society. These applications are a result of Toyota’s integration of its fuel-cell technology with partners, with the aim of solving today’s most pressing mobility challenges.

Among the hydrogen applications to be on display in Paris 2024 are two FCEV city buses, converted specifically for this occasion. The buses were designed with accessibility and team spirit in mind and will be able to transport an entire wheelchair team in one bus.

On the logistics side, Toyota will showcase the benefits of hydrogen-powered FCEV trucks, developed together with its partners. In addition, FCEV forklifts, designed by Toyota Material Handling, will further demonstrate how hydrogen-powered logistics operations can support hydrogen economy.

Toyota’s fuel-cell technology will be present in FCEV-powered boats, coaches, the hydrogen Hilux prototype, and other solutions to support the operations at the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024.

Building a sustainable hydrogen-powered mobility requires a robust ecosystem that supports hydrogen-based business solutions. Toyota expects that by demonstrating the feasibility of hydrogen mobility solutions at Paris 2024, it will encourage a wider roll-out of the hydrogen infrastructure.

Putting people at the centre with Global Team Toyota Athletes

Toyota’s partnership with the Olympic and Paralympic Games is a result of Toyota’s commitment to building a better world of tomorrow. Sports and the way that athletes face and overcome challenges to reach their goals is an inspiration and show the way to a more inclusive and sustainable society.

That is why Toyota is a proud partner of around 200 athletes from 40 countries on their road to qualify and compete in Paris 2024, all training under the umbrella of Global Team Toyota Athletes. These Olympians and Paralympians embody Toyota’s core value of continuous improvement and desire to overcome challenges.  

Toyota’s commitment to building a better society goes even further. The company is dedicated to making movement better for everyone and ensuring that everyone gets the same chance to be their very best. In 2018, Toyota rolled out a global corporate campaign ‘Start Your Impossible’, that reflects the Olympic and Paralympic spirit of encouragement, challenge and progress. The initiative is built on three pillars - Ever Better Society, Ever Better Toyota and Ever Better Mobility for All - that encompass Toyota’s pledge to a constantly evolving world. The campaign continues with Paris 2024.

In addition, in the run-up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Toyota Motor Europe, under the banner ‘Start your Impossible’ has launched a European activation campaign. Over 100,000 Toyota employees from across Europe can take on non-business-related challenges, such as sports, volunteering, or mindset shift activities to contribute to the ever-better society, and therefore an ever-better Toyota. And by being active in their lives and their communities, they can be one of the 4,000 employees to get a chance to attend and support the Paralympic Games Paris 2024.

____

Cities around the world still face challenges surrounding mobility, having to solve issues ranging from traffic congestion to air pollution, traffic accidents, and access for people with impairments. Starting from Tokyo 2020 and through Beijing 2022, and continuing now in Paris 2024, Toyota is hoping to help cities tackle these challenges around the world and contribute to developing a sustainable mobility society.

Toyota will disclose more of its plans and contributions, including those related to new mobility products and solutions, moving forward between now and Paris 2024.

100% ELECTRIFIED PASSENGER FLEET 

LAST-MILE INCLUSIVE MOBILITY SOLUTIONS

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.

TME together with its logistics partners, Getlink and CAT Group,  will initially transport around 70,000 cars per year equivalent to 270 trains per year. Corolla hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) produced at its plant in Derby will be freighted to its Valenciennes hub, and Yaris HEVs produced in France will be delivered to the UK.

This new international freight traffic is expected to deliver a CO2 reduction in excess of 10% for TME’s total logistic network and reduce delivery lead-times by around 50%. The initiative also positions Toyota as the only automotive manufacturer currently using the Channel Tunnel link for the transportation of new vehicles.

As part of TME’s goals to achieve Carbon Neutrality in Europe, Toyota plans to convert some of its main European logistics routes to rail by 2024. The second phase of TME’s “Rail Project” starts in April 2022, when its Valenciennes logistics hub will link up with the company’s plant in Kolin (Czech Republic), where it produces Yaris and the new Aygo Cross.  The pan-European rail network will expand with additional logistics routes to Italy, Spain and Turkey. Following the completion of this phase, the company anticipates it will save over 7M truck haulage kilometres per year, providing both emissions benefits and reducing road usage.

Commenting on the launch of the new freight route in Valenciennes on 24^th February Jean-christophe DEVILLE, Head of Vehicle logistics at Toyota Motor Europe, said:

The bootcamp is the first part of the intense learning experience designed to help the startups hone their business projects. Toyota, together with its partner ISDI (Digital Business School), fostered a hands-on, interactive and engaging learning experience in different areas including agile product design, working with corporations, talent scouting, Intellectual Property Rights, internationalisation strategy and more. A mix of entrepreneurs, C-level executives and Toyota experts interacted with the participants sharing their knowledge and insight. 

Comments from participating startups

To explore collaboration opportunities that could generate the best shared value for the startups and TME, the Toyota experts also shared insights into Toyota’s operations in Europe such as product planning, Toyota Production System and R&D development processes. 

After several selection rounds, 5 winning startups were chosen to enter the final 6-month acceleration phase. These startups will receive funds and develop their projects into a Proof of Concept supported by business mentors and Toyota guides. The 5 winners will pitch their Proof of Concept at the Demo Day in June 2022. TME may offer the opportunity for further cooperation. 

The 5 winning startups

1		Revolve Wheel (Germany) innovated the world’s first active wheelchair that fits the standards of cabin luggage
2		HySiLabs (France) developed an innovative solution to facilitate hydrogen transportation by charging and releasing hydrogen in a unique liquid carrier called HydroSil
3		PurCity (Denmark) aims to improve air quality by turning buildings into large scale CO2 air capture facilities
4		CargaTuCoche (Spain) proposes a platform for residential electric mobility charging infrastructure that allows for sharing charging points with others
5		Microwave Solutions GmbH (Switzerland) accelerates circular carbon economies by recycling plastics, rubbers and carbonaceous materials into critical and advanced materials such as graphene

Other participating startups

1		Sideways (Spain) builds fleets of self-driving vehicles for indoor spaces to make indoor transportation radically more efficient
2		Biel Glasses (Spain) develops smart glasses that improves mobility for visually impaired people by recognizing and signalling obstacles, changes in surface and traffic lights
3		Breeze Technologies (Germany) is a technology leader in air quality sensors, data and analytics. Their solution leverages the internet of things and artificial intelligence to help cities and businesses create better clean air action plans and a more liveable environment
4		Tresoil (Romania) aims to convert plastic waste into hydrogen to support the growing hydrogen economy in Europe

ISDI press contact

Alexandra Carrasco Szulc

Communications Manager - ISDI Accelerator

Tel: +34 618 671 467

E-mail: acarrasco@isdi.education

Toyota Motor Europe

Toyota Motor Europe NV/SA (TME) oversees the wholesale sales and marketing of Toyota and Lexus vehicles, parts and accessories, and Toyota’s European manufacturing and engineering operations. Toyota directly employs around 27,000 people in Europe and has invested over EUR 10 billion since 1990. Toyota’s operations in Europe are supported by a network of 29 National Marketing and Sales Companies across 53 countries, a total of around 3,000 sales outlets, and nine manufacturing plants. In 2020, Toyota sold 993,113 Toyota and Lexus vehicles in Europe. 

Toyota believes that when people are free to move, anything is possible. In the pursuit of "Ever Better Mobility for All", Toyota aims to create more inclusive and sustainable mobility, a society in which everyone can challenge their impossible. With the aim of contributing to global environmental sustainability, Toyota has developed the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050 to address key global environmental issues. For more information, visit www.toyota-europe.com.

ISDI Accelerator

ISDI Accelerator was born in 2014 with the objective of channeling the entrepreneurial interest of the ISDI (Digital Business School) students and to boost and professionalize the startup market in Europe. Their first startup acceleration programme, IMPACT, marked a milestone on the continent thanks to the collaboration between public entities, corporations, educational entities, investors and, of course, startups. Since then they have developed dozens of incubation and acceleration programmes, they have created, trained and accelerated hundreds of startups, and thousands of companies have already applied to our programs. 

All this has led ISDI Accelerator to be recognised as one of the most important accelerators in Europe. One of their programmes, IMPACT Connected Car, was named the best startup acceleration project of 2019 by the European Commission. ISDI Accelerator has been supported by its parent company ISDI, as well as hundreds of mentors, teachers and experts, best investors in Europe, its corporate and institutional partners and colleagues from other acceleration programmes.

The Toyota Startup Accelerator focuses on the fields of Inclusive Mobility, Carbon Neutral, Circular Economy and Life Cycle Footprint Assessment. A jury of TME and ISDI Accelerator executives and experts as well as industry specialists selected the 10 finalists with high business growth potential and investment readiness. Having the right strategic fit of their proposals allows a potential Proof of Concept or Pilot with TME on the basis of strong team with solid experience, sector knowledge and multi-disciplinary background.

Next, the 10 finalists will hone their business plans during a bootcamp with TME experts’ support.

At the end of the bootcamp, up to 5 winners will progress to the final stage: a 6-week acceleration. The 5 best startups will receive funds to develop their projects into a Proof of Concept and pitch them at a Demo Day in May 2022. TME may offer the opportunity for further cooperation.

Overview of 10 startups selected for the bootcamp

ISDI press contact

Alexandra Carrasco Szulc

Communications Manager - ISDI Accelerator

Tel: +34 618 671 467

E-mail: acarrasco@isdi.education

Toyota Motor Europe

Toyota Motor Europe NV/SA (TME) oversees the wholesale sales and marketing of Toyota and Lexus vehicles, parts and accessories, and Toyota’s European manufacturing and engineering operations. Toyota directly employs around 27,000 people in Europe and has invested over EUR 10 billion since 1990. Toyota’s operations in Europe are supported by a network of 29 National Marketing and Sales Companies across 53 countries, a total of around 3,000 sales outlets, and nine manufacturing plants. In 2020, Toyota sold 993,113 Toyota and Lexus vehicles in Europe.

Toyota believes that when people are free to move, anything is possible. In the pursuit of "Ever Better Mobility for All", Toyota aims to create more inclusive and sustainable mobility, a society in which everyone can challenge their impossible. With the aim of contributing to global environmental sustainability, Toyota has developed the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050 to address key global environmental issues. For more information, visit www.toyota-europe.com.

ISDI Accelerator

ISDI Accelerator was born in 2014 with the objective of channeling the entrepreneurial interest of the ISDI (Digital Business School) students and to boost and professionalize the startup market in Europe. Their first startup acceleration programme, IMPACT, marked a milestone on the continent thanks to the collaboration between public entities, corporations, educational entities, investors and, of course, startups. Since then they have developed dozens of incubation and acceleration programmes, they have created, trained and accelerated hundreds of startups, and thousands of companies have already applied to our programs.

All this has led ISDI Accelerator to be recognised as one of the most important accelerators in Europe. One of their programmes, IMPACT Connected Car, was named the best startup acceleration project of 2019 by the European Commission. ISDI Accelerator has been supported by its parent company ISDI, as well as hundreds of mentors, teachers and experts, best investors in Europe, its corporate and institutional partners and colleagues from other acceleration programmes.

Toyota continues its partnership with ISDI from the first edition of Toyota Startup Awards, aiming to tap into European startups' potential and bring innovation into 4 specific fields:

(1) Mobility for All

• Toyota is looking for: innovative micro mobility assistance solutions that improve the lives of less abled people
• In order to: Ensure nobody is left behind in mobility solutions by providing any means of moving to anyone, anywhere

(2) Carbon Neutral Circular Economy

• Toyota is looking for: innovative solutions in the area of carbon capture and utilisation (chemicals, fuels, minerals) as well as storage techniques
• In order to: go further than zero emissions by reversing the CO2 gap and reach carbon neutral society. ​

(3) Circular Economy ​of Plastics

• Toyota is looking for: innovative solutions to repair, reuse and recycle plastic materials and components for circular business models
• In order to: Help solve societal concerns on plastic waste by promoting initiatives to reduce virgin material use and increase circular economy solutions

(4) Life Cycle Footprint Ecosystem

• Toyota is looking for: LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) tools to help product suppliers deliver accurate and up-to-date solutions for customers to become more aware of their footprint and daily product choices
• In order to: Help individuals to increase awareness of products’ climate impact throughout the life cycle and provide product suppliers with more efficient and accurate assessment tools

The winning startups will be awarded funds for further development of their projects and TME may offer the opportunity to engage in further cooperation.

Interested candidate startups are invited to apply here by 14 September.

ISDI press contact

Alexandra Carrasco Szulc

Communications Manager - ISDI Accelerator

Tel: +34 618 671 467

E-mail: acarrasco@isdi.education

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.

Otsuka-san explained how Toyota’s experience and achievements provide a sound foundation for its future ambitions: developing technologies which can reduce reliance on fossil fuels, making electrified vehicles that can help contain global warming, using new technology and design to move towards a target of zero traffic fatalities, and working with ambitious and visionary partners to build a Woven City, an example of a connected and sustainable urban community of the future.

Miguel Fonseca, TME Senior Vice President introduced the actions that Toyota Motor Europe is taking to change its business:   

TME is the first company within the Brussels area to mount a privately-owned wind turbine on its premises, and with a total capacity of 10 kW, it can generate up to 24 MWh per year. The wind turbine’s advanced design incorporates vertical wings which allows it to efficiently harness the wind from all directions and has an innovative ‘owl’ finish to reduce noise. And, standing at a height of only 23 m, it avoids any risk of interference with the nearby Zaventem airport’s operations.

Harnessing wind power is only one part of TME’s plan - the company’s renewable electricity supply is further boosted with the installation of 1400 photovoltaic panels capable of generating a maximum power of 460 kWp. It is expected that this solar array will generate 360 MWh per year.

Clean energy has been high on Toyota’s European agenda for several years resulting in 100% renewable electricity for all European operations in 2019. The two new installations in Brussels are in line with the company’s strategy to increase its own renewable electricity production at Toyota facilities, following similar investments at other European sites (TPCE solar panels, TMUK solar panels, TMMF solar wall, Zeebrugge windmill, solar panels at Toyota Logistics Centre Madrid).

Over the last 5 years, TME’s facilities have undergone a comprehensive renewal programme to improve their energy efficiency, including the installation of LED lighting, A/C renewal and a new building management system. This has resulted in an overall reduction of electricity consumption by 35% from 5 GWh to 3.3 GWh per year and, thanks to the latest initiatives, TME will now be able to generate more than 10% of the yearly electricity consumption on-site.

Toyota’s core value has always been to contribute to society in meaningful ways, looking for easier ways to do things, which stems from the company founder’s initial motivation to create an automatic loom to relieve the work burden of his own mother. These values are cultivated in the company to this day and members of Toyota, including retailers, have responded to support their communities in a current public health crisis that is especially serious in Europe.

The support extended to local hospitals and other emergency services range from providing essential supplies such as masks from existing stock at the start of the crisis; making donations to allow the purchase of essential ventilators; making available hundreds of vehicles to organisations such as the Red Cross and other non-profit and public organisations; and using 3D parts printing to make face masks and hands-free door openers.

Another way Toyota manufacturing team members have been helping is to support with Toyota Production System (TPS) know-how and technical knowledge, allowing some hospitals to better manage their manpower allocation to deal with the extra workload and to assemble medical equipment or fix hospital beds.

Requests from the community typically reach Toyota entities based on their local roots and are evaluated locally. Ideas are also shared amongst entities in Europe.

Here are some of the inspiring examples of what has been done so far:

• Medical face shields (protection masks): Toyota is using 3D printing and assembly to make simple face protection shields (clear plastic and head-band) for local hospitals / health care workers and for internal use. These shields are being manufactured in the factories in France, Poland and the UK at a rate of nearly 300 shields per day. They are also sharing their best practices with others.​​

• Hands-free door openers: In the Toyota production factories of Poland and France, employees are utilizing 3D printers to create parts for hands free-door handles based on a freely available design here: https://www.materialise.com/en/hands-free-door-opener

• Provide knowledge: Toyota has offered and stands ready to contribute its lean manufacturing (TPS) expertise to help medical equipment manufacturers (e.g. ventilators) to increase their productivity and output. Toyota is also providing manufacturing and engineering know-how to help medical staff manpower management (visual manning control and versatility boards) and support with the maintenance of medical equipment.

• Vehicle support: Throughout Europe, Toyota is providing vehicles, car-rental, and free road-side assistance to health or related public support staff, but also to volunteer organisation, hospitals and local Red Cross organisations.

• In-kind donations: There have been significant donations to national and local emergency response and health organizations, hospitals, emergency management teams, and first responders. Items donated included masks, safety glasses, shoe/boot covers, gloves, and other protective gear to multiple local organizations. Vehicle servicing for medical employees are also being offered. Some plants have also offered logistical support through loaning forklifts and warehouse or parking space.

• Monetary donations: Several entities in Europe have made monetary donations to help municipal services, hospitals, health foundations and volunteer associations.

• Retailer and customer support: Toyota together with its financial services subsidiary Toyota Financial Services Europe, has also been helping customers with individual financial agreements, in particular those customers who are affected by the loss of employment or business income.

Toyota, a Worldwide Olympic Partner, was represented at the handover event in Lausanne by Matt Harrison, Executive Vice President, Sales at Toyota Motor Europe and was welcomed by Timo Lumme, Managing Director of IOC Television and Marketing Services, and Marie Sallois-Dembreville, the IOC’s Director for Sustainability.

To allow refuelling of the vehicles, a temporary hydrogen fuelling station – one of the first in Switzerland - will be installed at the new headquarters, before a public station is commissioned nearby. The station will produce and distribute hydrogen sourced from renewable energy to supply the IOC’s fleet of Toyota Mirai vehicles, as part of the organisation’s efforts to reduce its carbon emissions.

Having become the first ever mobility partner of the Olympic Movement in 2015 and in line with Olympic Agenda 2020, Toyota is working with future Olympic Games organisers, including Tokyo 2020, to provide sustainable mobility solutions for the Games.

Toyota will support Tokyo 2020 with a large number of zero-emission FCEV such as the Mirai sedan for official use. In addition, the FC bus "Sora" as well as fuel cell forklifts made and sold by Toyota Industries Corporation, will help support the Games. As part of the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050, the TOP Partner* aims to cut its global average carbon dioxide emissions from new vehicles by 90 percent compared to 2010 levels.

Toyota’s hydrogen fleet is not the only sustainability feature of Olympic House, which integrates some of the most rigorous energy, materials and water standards, while optimising the health and wellbeing of its users.

###

^{The International Olympic Committee is a not-for-profit independent international organisation made up of volunteers, which is committed to building a better world through sport. It redistributes more than 90 per cent of its income to the wider sporting movement, which means that every day the equivalent of USD 3.4 million goes to help athletes and sports organisations at all levels around the world.}

###

For more information about the IOC, please contact the IOC Media Relations Team: Tel: +41 21 621 6000, email: pressoffice@olympic.org, or visit the web site at www.olympic.org.

*TOP Partners – https://www.olympic.org/partners

_{Photo credit: Copyright: IOC / Philippe Woods}