In case you’ve lost count, this is the 8th consecutive week that we’ve had a fuel price hike. I’m sure you’re feeling the pain in your wallet, but more so once you’re at the pump and see the price of your full tank is higher than last week. Combine that with the amount of traffic even during this pandemic and the cost of being on the road affects not only our finances but also the environment. Talks about possible alternatives are inevitably brought up every time this happens, as it should, but what exactly are our options to the traditional combustion engine?
Some car manufacturers made waves in the west for having a successful all-electric car lineup. If you’re interested in one, few brands in the country have already launched their electric vehicles (EVs), albeit at a high price since these are mostly from the premium segment. Aside from the price, another catch is the ‘range anxiety’ they have since charging stations are very limited, making road trips nearly impossible.
This problem is solved by a self-charging hybrid electric vehicle or HEV. It’s a car that still has a combustion engine but is supplemented with an electric motor and batteries. Depending on your driving situation, the electric motor can take all the work, sometimes the engine, and at times both of them. And while there are various kinds of hybrid vehicle technologies, the self-charging type used by Toyota and Lexus eliminate any worries about plugging in to a charging station, especially on long or out-of-town drives—or even in those instances when you simply forgot to charge your car.
HEVs have been in the country longer than you think. Toyota Motor Philippines first dipped their toes in that category way back in 2009 when they launched the second-generation Prius. Today, they have expanded their hybrid lineup into four vehicles—two sedans in the Corolla Altis and Camry, and two crossovers in the Corolla Cross and the recently launched RAV4 Hybrid.
Each hybrid car is backed by Toyota’s 25-year experience in the field since they launched the Prius in 1997. Being in a familiar form, there’s no learning curve to any of them as they are similar to their pure gas-engine counterparts in design, feel, and ergonomics. If anything, you’ll only have to get used to the silence of the car every time the electric motor kicks in. It also has an EV mode that will make full use of the electric motor and not a drop of gasoline, as long as you have enough charge.
Toyota’s hybrid technology adapts with your driving scenario. On a flat road at low speed, it will make use of the electric motor only in order to save fuel. Once you get faster, encounter any inclines, or during hard acceleration, the gas engine will kick in to aid the electric motor. Now once you step on the brakes or let go of the throttle, the gas engine will shut down and only the electric motor is at use. What’s more, the HEV will implement regenerative braking where energy lost during braking is used to charge the batteries instead.
This is the biggest perk of HEVs against EVs, at least for now. You don’t need any additional equipment in order to take full advantage of them, nor would you need to put up a charging unit in your home or look for charging stations on the road. The engine and the regenerative system will charge the batteries, removing the range anxiety that’s prevalent among EV owners, while also saving money by burning less fuel in every drive thanks to its alternative power source. It’s the best solution right now in helping the environment and the pedestrians who traverse the open roads daily.
When I tested the Altis Hybrid a couple of years back, I was able to rack up 11 km/l in rush hour traffic that usually gets me 6-8 km/l in a normal car. Have freer traffic on weekends and that figure goes up to 16 km/l in the city. On the highway, I was able to get 27.5 km/l and that’s with overtakes on the expressway. Clearly, Toyota’s hybrid technology is not mere marketing speak.
Maintenance costs are the least of your worries. Toyota says that the PMS cost of their HEVs are similar to their non-hybrid counterparts since there’s no additional service needed for the electric motor or batteries. We are currently offering an 8-year warranty for 4th generation hybrid batteries (Camry and RAV4) while a 5-year warranty is offered for the previous generation of hybrid batteries in existing hybrid models.
We’ve already seen that hybrid technology indeed saves fuel but what exactly is its impact on the environment? Since the launch of the Prius in 1997, Toyota has sold 15 million electrified vehicles all over the world as of 2020. This translates to the reduction of greenhouse gasses by as much as 139 million tons while saving 38 million kiloliters of fuel globally.
With their vast experience in the field of electrification and a diverse lineup of hybrids, Toyota is the best partner when it comes to attainable green mobility today. What’s more is they’re not in it just for the trend as they also made sure what they’re doing is truly making things right for the planet. Toyota has a system for collecting and reusing batteries in their hybrid cars. Some get repurposed, while some get extracted of their rare metals, reducing the need to get more from mines across the world. Their nickel batteries are also 100% recyclable.
Toyota also laid out their plans for a carbon neutral future called Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050. This aims to remove carbon emissions not just from the car itself, but also its whole cycle from manufacturing of parts, assembly, logistics, and more by making use of renewable energy. They even asked their main parts suppliers to also reduce their carbon dioxide emissions, aiming to encourage others to do the same.
Just recently, Toyota Global President Akio Toyoda announced that Toyota plans to offer 30 Battery Electric Vehicles by 2030. But why wait for them to arrive, when you can enjoy driving without helping save the environment now?
There are many other ways to help the environment but getting a hybrid is a significant step towards a greener path. It sets an example that we can change the mindset regarding one of the worst offenders to the environment while also saving money and decreasing our carbon footprint.
Toyota’s diverse local lineup of HEVs ensures you can do this without compromising comfort and convenience on your daily drive. You will also be at ease since you’re patronizing a company whose goals are aligned with yours—that is, providing a better future for the children of today and those that will come after them. The best part is, you can do your part RIGHT NOW—not in 5 or 10 more years. Toyota HEVs are readily available and works with our current road infrastructures and systems. So make the switch and do good for the environment and our children now.