Sales: 206.243.0700 Service: 206.243.0700 Parts: 206.243.0700
15025 1st Ave So, Burien, WA 98148

Monday, November 18, 2024

Renewable Energy Shines at Toyota Alabama

 


Toyota, Toyota Tsusho America and Huntsville Utilities complete 168-acre solar project

Toyota takes one step closer to carbon neutral operations with the addition of a 30-megawatt solar energy system at its Alabama plant. Today, Toyota Alabama, Toyota Tsusho America, Inc. (TAI) and Huntsville Utilities, celebrated the completion of the $49 million solar project – made possible by a joint power purchase agreement (PPA) 

“Toyota is committed to clean and sustainable power. We know that the collective future for our community and our team members depends on clean mobility, clean air, clean water, and biodiversity,” said Jason Puckett, president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Alabama. “We are thankful for our partners on this project who have created a model of environmental stewardship in North Alabama.”

This project will generate about 70 percent of Toyota Alabama’s total energy usage and aligns with the automaker’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality at all of its North American facilities by 2035. In total, the array will generate approximately 62,000 megawatt hours of energy on an annual basis, reducing an estimated 22,000 metric tons of COemissions per year.


“Clean solar energy is vital for powering the City of Huntsville as we continue to see a steady rise in energy demand,” said Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle. “Our partnership with Toyota has been instrumental in advancing this initiative, and we are excited about upcoming solar projects that will further enhance our commitment to sustainability and a cleaner future for our community.”

The solar array, located in the North Huntsville Industrial Park, surrounds Toyota Alabama with 72,000 individual solar panels. The site spans 168-acres, which is equal to 127 football fields. The project started in June 2023 and was led by TAI’s Energy Infrastructure Solutions team. TAI owns the solar array and is responsible for long-term operations.

“Bringing projects like this to life aligns with TAI’s goal to create positive impacts in local communities, while also helping to create pathways to a sustainable future globally,” said Chris Simmons, TAI division head for green infrastructure. “TAI strives to be a model of responsible corporate environmental stewardship, and this partnership illustrates how we can work together to create a better future for us all.”

The PPA between TAI and Huntsville Utilities is the largest flexibility agreement of its kind, allowing the cost-to-serve municipal utility to purchase clean energy.

“Innovative approaches to clean energy generation are critical to Huntsville’s future growth,” said Wes Kelleypresident and CEO of Huntsville Utilities. “Toyota’s forward-thinking approach to carbon neutrality has paved the way for additional public-private collaborations.”

Monday, November 11, 2024

Toyota’s Evolving Approach to Saving Water


For Mark Yamauchi, Toyota’s efforts to save water over the years adds up to a lot more than the numbers of gallons saved—instead, it represents an understanding of the critical role water plays in our society and Toyota’s work to support the future of water conservation.

When Yamauchi took over managing the water program in 2015, the prevailing attitude was that water was cheap and relatively plentiful, and Toyota needed a lot of it. Cutting down on water usage didn’t seem as urgent as some other sustainability goals.

There has been a growing awareness of water issues, both within Toyota and in the wider world. At Toyota, Yamauchi has worked tirelessly to build awareness that every gallon of water purchased adds costs other than the water itself. For water to be used in manufacturing, it needs to be treated, processed, pumped, moved, and filtered. Each step adds costs in equipment, space, and even time.

Outside the boundaries of Toyota’s properties, water scarcity and quality are becoming more prominent sustainability topics as populations grow and climate change affects weather patterns. While there might be areas in North America that have plenty of water, including some areas where Toyota has operations, some Toyota factories operate in communities that are challenged by water shortages or water quality concerns.

“This is an investment for risk mitigation, because all these things are coming,” Yamauchi said. “There will be additional stress on infrastructure and supply and treatment of water. So, let’s get ahead of that.”

A Growing Urgency for Water Stewardship
To illustrate the problem, globally, 2.3 billion people live in areas where water is under stress1. Of the world’s 37 largest groundwater reservoirs, 21 are being depleted faster than they can be replenished2. Two of the largest reservoirs in the U.S. – Lake Mead and Lake Powell – are at their lowest levels ever3. Toyota has closely followed this critical issue over the years. As water scarcity has become increasingly top of mind for many, Toyota shifted from a mindset of conservation to a more proactive approach – stewardship.

With conservation, Toyota has focused on reducing the number of gallons of water used in its own operations. Now, moving toward a more involved level of stewardship, Toyota is thinking about the communities and regions in which it operates, recognizing the need to partner with other stakeholders – like governments, non-profits, and community leaders – to make a long-term, positive impact. Toyota recognizes that its resources and influence can be used as a catalyst to enact changes that go far beyond its property boundaries.

Along these lines, Toyota began rethinking water when it was designing its North American headquarters in Plano, Texas, which the company officially opened in July 2017. A 400,000-gallon rainwater harvesting system supplies the campus’ landscape irrigation system. At the time, it was the largest installed system in North America.  The Plano headquarters also recycles sink wastewater for toilet flushing in two buildings. Native landscaping was installed, which requires little irrigation, which contributed to the campus receiving LEED certification.


Partnering in Baja California – A Model of a More Sustainable Water Supply

Water stewardship remains important to Toyota with continually improving operations throughout North America. One such example: Toyota Motor Manufacturing Baja California (TMMBC) in Tecate, Mexico has returned more water than used – a critical need for a location that sits in one of the most water-challenged areas of the continent, near the bottom of the Colorado River basin.

After rethinking its manufacturing and painting processes, both of which are particularly water-intensive, Toyota Baja California (TMMBC) is now reusing 600 cubic meters of water a day in industrial operations and saving 23 million gallons a year, enough to support 500 residents in Tecate.


TMMBC assembles more than 150,000 Tacoma pickups each year and draws on municipal water supplied by a local reservoir which is fed from 80 miles away in Mexicali. This water comes from a diversion dam on the Colorado River – a major western river that supplies water to seven U.S. states as well as two states in northern Mexico. Decades of drought have caused a loss of about 10 trillion gallons across the basin – or a reservoir the size of Lake Mead.


The process to reuse the water at TMMBC involves taking wastewater from the paint shop and treating it to remove phosphates, minerals like zinc and nickel. After that, a membrane bioreactor can remove any suspended solids. The reactor brings the level of solids close to zero, which is necessary to be able to use the reverse osmosis system, which then removes any remaining suspended solids.

“Before it installed its bioreactor, TMMBC was using reverse osmosis to treat the industrial wastewater, but the solids would clog the system’s filter so much that operations would have to be shut down after three hours,” said Jesus Ernesto Rodriguez, an engineer at TMMBC. It would take a full day to clean the reverse osmosis system before it could be used again. With the bioreactor, the reverse osmosis system only needs to be cleaned during routine maintenance.

“Baja California is a high-risk area for water,” Rodriguez said. “Some seasons, the community just doesn’t have enough water. With the amount of recycling we’re doing, it’s making a big contribution to our neighbors.”

Outside the plant, Toyota has teamed up with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to help address water issues along the Colorado River, especially in Baja California. The conservation group works with local partners, cities and farms to help make the water supply more sustainable. More than 500 local farmers attended optimization training workshops to promote water efficiency. Toyota Baja provided $363,000 over three years to acquire, secure, and monitor water volumes in the Colorado River Delta.

Together, Toyota and TNC are protecting more than 16,100 acres of wetlands along the Hardy River and in the Santa Clara Marsh, the lower Colorado River, and in the upper Colorado River Estuary – where the underground aquifer gets replenished. Overall, this partnership alone has released 264 million gallons of water into the Hardy River, restoring continuous water flow to nine miles of the river.

Rivers and Lakes We’re Used To
The work at TMMBC and the Colorado River Basin are just two examples of Toyota’s efforts in water stewardship. Projects in other parts of the continent are tailor-made for the local circumstances and landscape. Along the Wabash River in Indiana, Toyota is working with TNC to restore oxbow lakes (horseshoe-shaped bodies of water located where the river bends) that provide important habitats for fish and wildlife. Toyota and TNC are also looking at ways to reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment that fill the river from nearby agriculture.

In addition, Toyota is working with its network of 1,900 dealers across North America to reduce water use in showrooms and vehicle lots. One program that the company is offering includes The Dealership Environmental Excellence Program (D.E.E.P.), which has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy.

D.E.E.P. is a voluntary, easy-to-implement program designed to help dealers reduce energy, water, waste, and carbon emissions.

Toyota provides technical assistance to dealerships to help measurably improve environmental performance and recognizes dealers that demonstrate significant reductions in energy and water use while engaging their local communities. There are 116 Toyota and Lexus dealerships across 33 states participating in this program, and Toyota aims to get that number up to 630 by 2030.

“Through all these and other efforts, what’s stood out is how different parts of the company are inspired and eager to help support this important water change,” said Yamauchi. “Once Toyota team members get on board with a goal, they come up with creative solutions that are good for the environment and good for the business.”

“When Toyota does something, people really stand up and take notice,” Yamauchi said. “We have such a great company. When we leverage that brand value, it can lead to big changes.”

1 SOURCE: Drought in Numbers 2022, United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, page 4 (https://www.unccd.int/sites/default/files/2022-06/Drought%20in%20Numbers%20%28English%29.pdf)

SOURCE: Water Resources Research: Volume 51, Issue 7, July 2015, Quantifying renewable groundwater stress with GRACE (https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/2015WR017349)

SOURCE: Latest projections from the Bureau of Reclamation https://www.newsweek.com/lake-mead-lake-powell-water-levels-colorado-river-shortage-1940243

Thursday, October 31, 2024

Toyota Unveils Throwback 4Runner TRD Surf Concept at the 2024 SEMA Show


Embracing 4Runner’s Go-Anywhere SpiritTRD Surf Revives Removable Roof Nostalgia as a Tribute to So-Cal’s Surfing Legacy 

Toyota proudly introduced the 4Runner TRD Surf Concept, a striking concept vehicle inspired by Southern California’s vibrant surf culture, at the 2024 SEMA Show. Built at the Toyota Motorsports Garage, the 4Runner TRD Surf Concept combines the rugged, open-air spirit of the first-generation 4Runner with the cutting-edge technology and design of the all-new 2025 4Runner, creating a unique tribute to the adventurous lifestyle that shaped a generation.

The 4Runner TRD Surf Concept draws inspiration from an iconic time in history when the Toyota 4Runner became a staple at 80s So-Cal beaches, as surfers sought the perfect wave. Marty Schwerter, lead builder and Director of Operations at Toyota’s Motorsports Technical Center, said his vision was shaped by his own experiences cruising the Pacific Coast Highway in a Toyota mini pickup. He saw the spirit of the first generation in the 2025 4Runner and envisioned a concept that captures the essence of those sun-soaked days.

“The 2025 4Runner reminded me of the original, with its rugged look and powerhouse 4cyl engine. I knew it had the potential to be the ultimate beach cruiser,” said Schwerter. “We wanted to create something that would resonate today while paying homage to the past. The removable top was a must, just like the original, and we made sure it’s as functional as it is stylish.”

4Runner TRD Surf Concept began life as an all-new 2025 4Runner TRD Limited. The iForce 2.4L turbocharged engine delivers 278 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque through an eight-speed automatic transmission. Power is distributed by way of a full-time four-wheel drive system, with an electronically controlled dual-range transfer case. A custom exhaust gives the factory powertrain a satisfying exhaust note.

Schwerter’s team immediately started focusing on transforming the most capable 4Runner into the perfect beach boss. However, creating a “factory” 4Runner that looks and performs equally well with the top off as it does with the top on, posed a number of challenges.

“Engineering a legitimate, removable top; going from a 4-door to a 2-door while maintaining functional windows; flipping the front passenger seat for improved rear seat access; and adding 2-inches of width to both sides were all just tip of the iceberg issues,” Schwerter said. “What makes this build so stellar has less to do with the changes themselves and more to do with the amazing way that they all work together—the result is truly greater than the sum of the parts.”

Every detail of the 4Runner TRD Surf Concept has been meticulously planned and crafted to celebrate its coastal roots. When focus shifted to the removable top transformation, nothing was left to chance. To gain real-world insight, a practice run was done on a GEN5 4Runner. Once work began in earnest, the team spent several days lining everything up. The removable top was built in-house, blending traditional fabrication with CAD and modern 3D printing technology to shape cutlines that perfectly mirrored both sides of the body, creating a perfect fit. Designed to be easily removed by a single person, this feature provides the open-air freedom synonymous with the 4Runner legacy.

As rugged as it is stylish, the 4Runner TRD Surf Concept’s long-travel suspension system features billet aluminum front upper and lower A-arms, designed to handle the toughest terrain while providing a smooth ride. Steering upgrades, custom front axles, and Toyota Tundra rear-end housing complement the custom suspension. At each corner, 37-inch tires, mounted to 17x.8.5-inch custom wheels, complete the concept’s muscular appearance.

In preparation for any adventure the 4Runner TRD Surf Concept might encounter, the weatherproofed interior includes soft, waterproof flooring and a front passenger seat that flips forward to allow easy access to the rear seating area. Accessories include a custom surfboard “Travel Quiver” made specifically for this concept, which pairs perfectly with the roof rack.

The 4Runner TRD Surf Concept also highlights the collaborative spirit within Toyota, bringing together various departments such as TRD North Carolina, TMNA Production Engineering, Service Parts and Accessory Development (SPAD), AAP, and Motorsports and Engagement Marketing to bring this concept to life.

“This vehicle not only showcases Toyota’s engineering prowess; it also reflects the passion and creativity of our team members who are dedicated to pushing the boundaries.  And besides, who doesn’t love a concept dedicated to surfing!?” said Mike Tripp, group vice president, Toyota Marketing.

The 4Runner TRD Surf Concept will be on display at the 2024 SEMA Show from November 5-8 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in the Toyota booth (Central Hall, Booth 22200). Attendees are invited to visit Toyota’s booth to experience this innovative concept up close and discover how Toyota continues to honor its heritage while embracing the future of automotive adventure.

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

Toyota, Revel Offer Complimentary DC Fast Charging for Toyota and Lexus Battery EV Customers in NYC

  • Revel operates largest network of public fast charging stations in New York City
  • Agreement provides Toyota and Lexus customers access to complimentary charging at Revel charging stations
  • Toyota Ventures investment into Revel supports adoption of electrified mobility solutions

Toyota Motor North America (Toyota) and Revel announced today an agreement to provide Toyota and Lexus battery electric vehicle (BEV) customers with complimentary access to Revel’s DC fast charging network in New York City for approximately three years through October 14, 2027. Revel currently operates the largest network of public fast charging stations in New York City, with four high-volume stations open 24/7 offering both NACS and CCS plug types.

“Charging should be a seamless experience and is crucial for customer satisfaction,” said Christopher Yang, group vice president, Toyota EV Charging Solutions. “Working with Revel will help elevate the charging experience for our customers in the New York City area while underscoring Toyota’s commitment to supporting sustainable mobility solutions and enhancing the ownership experience.”

Toyota Ventures, Toyota’s early-stage venture capital firm, first invested in Revel in 2019 and has supported Revel’s efforts to expand its DC fast charging network in New York City and other markets by providing Toyota the ability to further research and evaluate charging program opportunities. Supplying Toyota bZ4X and Lexus RZ battery EV (BEV) customers with complimentary access to Revel’s charging network supports Toyota’s goals to increase widespread adoption of electric vehicles through customer convenience.

“Revel is proud to build on our strategic collaboration with Toyota to accelerate urban EV adoption. As we expand our charging network in New York and California, we are excited to create more opportunities for Toyota and Lexus drivers to charge fast and, starting now, charge free,” said Frank Reig, Revel’s co-founder & CEO.

Revel currently operates 64 fast charging stalls in New York City across four stations in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. That includes the recently opened Pier 36 Charging Station, Revel’s first site in downtown Manhattan featuring ten 320 kW chargers. In the next year, Revel is planning to grow its NYC network to 300 fast charging stalls, with new locations such as a mega 60-stall station in Maspeth, Queens and a 48-stall station outside LaGuardia Airport. The company also has seven sites in development across the Bay Area and recently announced its first lease signed in downtown Los Angeles.

For more information on the program, please visit Revel’s page for Toyota or Lexus.

Sunday, October 27, 2024

Toyota’s New Risk-ATTEND Program Is On the Fast Track To Help Keep Teen Drivers Safe


Getting a driver’s license can be a major milestone for anyone. For teenagers, it’s even more significant, as it symbolizes another step toward independence.

In fact, young drivers (ages 15-20) accounted for 11.7 million (5%) of all licensed drivers in 2021, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. With that many novice drivers on the road, it’s important to help keep them as safe and well-informed.

That’s why Toyota’s Collaborative Safety Research Center (CSRC) team is doing its part to help educate teen drivers. In partnership with Discovery Education and the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass-Amherst), CSRC developed Risk-Anticipation Training To Enhance Novice Driving (Risk-ATTEND). The web-browser-based training program was developed to find ways to accelerate a novice driver’s skill of detecting and anticipating latent hazards.

“What we are trying to study in this project is the ability to anticipate risk,” says Zhaonan Sun, a principal scientist with CSRC. “Most teen driver crashes are due to three critical errors: lack of scanning, speeding and distraction. We’re trying to deal with lack of scanning or lack of meaningful scanning. Even if you see something, if you don’t know what it means or what to anticipate, it’s meaningless scanning.”

So far, statistical analyses have shown a significant improvement in hazard anticipation accuracy post training as measured by eye glances. In addition, 84% of the 53 participants increased the number of full stops at stop signs after training, compared to stop sign adherence before the training.

“Given our history in developing training programs for teens, we expected to see improvement in teen driving skills, but our expectations were exceeded when we saw the actual results,” says Shannon Roberts, an associate professor at UMass-Amherst. “The next step underway is to confirm that the improvement in teen driving skills seen in the simulator translates to improved driving behavior on the road.”

A Fresh Perspective
For Sun, working on Risk-ATTEND was exciting and rewarding.

“My previous experience involved what happens when the crash has already happened, but I think it’s very important to help prevent that crash from happening both from the system level and from a driver perspective,” he says. “I think it’s very exciting if we work from the source to educate teens through the internet to enhance their skills and help decrease their risk of a crash— that would be beneficial for society, for the teens and for the families.”


Broadening Accessibility 

For Risk-ATTEND, the goal is to make the program accessible to the public and make it easier and more convenient for teen drivers.

“So, basically people need to set up a semi-professional environment with the steering wheel and everything else to make driver education happen, which is good,” Sun says of previous driver education programs. “We know it’s effective, but it’s not super accessible to the general public.”

He adds, “With the age of personal computers, cell phones, tablets, we want to do something that can be accessed on any personal devices through the internet, and teens from anywhere can access it at any time.”

Jason Hallman, the senior research manager for CSRC who’s been with Toyota for over 12 years, said working with the community is important.

“CSRC is uniquely an open and external entity within Toyota’s North American R&D Center where we’re finding new ways to enhance safe mobility with university collaborators and sharing what we learn openly for the entire safety community to benefit from it as an industry,” he says.

Community Support Is Essential
Working with education partners like UMass-Amherst was essential to bringing Risk-ATTEND to fruition. The institution was responsible for recruiting 53 participants between the ages of 16 and 18 with less than or equal to six months of licensure in the state of Massachusetts. Participants were exposed to a pretraining and a post-training drive of 10-15 minutes each in the simulator.

“UMass has a rich history of conducting impactful research on teen driver safety,” says Anuj K. Pradhan, an assistant professor at UMass-Amherst. “Toyota has been an amazing partner on this study. The company’s vision and resources allowed for creativity and rigor in the research, and because both teams spoke a common language of safety, the collaboration was a seamless and ideal one.”

Roberts agrees that it was a harmonious partnership. “Working with Toyota on this process was a pleasure,” she says. “In the beginning, we developed a straightforward plan to achieve our goals, and we were successful. Throughout the process, Toyota was consistent, supportive, and overall, a great partner.”

Additionally, Toyota worked with Discovery Education, a company that provides digital learning resources for schools, to develop a public-facing version of Risk-ATTEND on TeenDrive365 — a comprehensive program designed to promote safe driving habits and help put an end to distracted driving for teens.

“They’ve got deep expertise in how to reach the teen audience, and they were very instrumental in this,” Hallman says of Discovery Education’s expertise. “They are also helping to amplify this training into school systems.”

Discovery Education has worked with Toyota since the launch of TeenDrive365 in 2016.

“At Discovery Education, we nurture student curiosity by connecting the real world to the classroom,” says Amy Nakamoto, executive vice president of Corporate Partnerships at Discovery Education. “Engaging digital tools like the Toyota RISK-Attend self-paced module help students build critical skills and better prepare themselves for a future of possibilities.”

Together, all three entities created a training program that they hope will help make teens better drivers and decrease the number of car crashes within this demographic.

“Toyota provided the research-informed prototype developed by Toyota CRSC and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and we leveraged our expertise to design and build an engaging module for students,” says Nakamoto.



Evaluating the Data 
Based on the initial findings, which show a vast improvement in hazard anticipation, Toyota believes the training program can help educate new young drivers.

“We proved it in the driving simulator by looking at the hazard anticipation forecast skills, which is calculated by various factors,” says Hallman. “For example, the gaze where their eyes are looking. We also know that the number of full stops at stop signs increased after training.”

During this evaluation process, participants wore eye-tracking glasses to track where the participant is looking and whether they’re looking at the scenarios or not.

“From there we can calculate and understand whether they’re actually anticipating the risk,” Hallman adds. “This is very different from the open platform we’re launching, because there we cannot track people’s gazes or where they are looking if they’re on their personal device. So, we just ask them to use the mouse to click where the risk is. But we know this is an effective method. We have proved it through statistical analysis using eyesight and other proctors.”


Setting Up the Scenarios

The team used data to determine what 13 driving scenarios would be the most beneficial for teens.

“Teens are more likely to be involved in certain types of crashes, such as failure to yield and run-off-road,” says Hallman. “So, the scenarios that were picked emphasize those types of potential crash scenarios, like how another vehicle exiting a hidden driveway might cause an inattentive driver to veer suddenly off the road to avoid a collision.”

At the start of each scenario, participants are given an overview of what they’re going to navigate through. For example, if there is a bus at the stop light on the left, but it’s blocking the driver’s view, they may not see any vehicles on the adjacent lane of the bus.

“So basically, if we turn left and we don’t anticipate that an oncoming vehicle may be obscured behind a larger oncoming vehicles, we may face a sudden brake situation if we’re very attentive or a potential collision if we’re not being super attentive,” says Sun of his favorite scenario in the program. “This is something hard to learn in the real world.”

The training uses scenarios that are common but are typically hard to anticipate. It gives them the advantage of playing out potential risks in advance.

“To learn that from a natural perspective may take months and it could be after licensure for one year,” says Sun. “If you’re driving in a suburban or rural environment, you probably have never seen that. So that’s very meaningful to anticipate where the risk would be and what could be blocking your sight and what could be in your blind spot.”

Each of the scenarios is at an intersection or going around a curve. When the training starts, participants are presented with five images that go by quickly, and users must click where they should be looking. Participants’ outcomes are explained at the end of each scenario.

Steering Teen Drivers in the Right Direction
Risk-ATTEND is also a program that could help parents and educators come together and teach the rules of the road to teens in an engaging way that’s stimulating and straightforward.

“Interactives and self-paced modules meet today’s students where they are, increase engagement and help with retention of critical information,” Nakamoto says of the program. “It is my hope that every novice teen driver takes the module and increases their ability to spot and avoid hazards.”

Roberts shares that sentiment. “Through the partnership with Toyota, thousands of teens will be exposed to Risk-ATTEND and will improve their driving behavior. My biggest hope for the Risk-ATTEND program is that it will continue to be effective in improving teen driving skills.”

Wednesday, October 9, 2024

Celebrating Manufacturing Day: 10 Interesting Facts About Toyota’s U.S. Plants

 


October is Manufacturing Month, and the first Friday is Manufacturing Day, a time to recognize and celebrate the work invested in the expansion and advancements of the U.S. manufacturing industry.

Toyota is proud of the achievements of its manufacturing plants and the employees who make them possible. Below are some interesting facts about the company’s 10 manufacturing plants across the United States.

1. TABC, Inc. (California): Toyota’s longest-running North American plant

Toyota’s manufacturing story in the United States starts in Long Beach, California. TABC is the company’s longest-running plant in North America and has played an essential role in assembling products since 1972.

2. Toyota Battery Manufacturing North Carolina: Up and running in 2025

Toyota North Carolina is the company’s newest U.S. manufacturing plant and is expected to be up and running in 2025. It’s Toyota’s tenth plant in the U.S. and is the first to focus on the assembly of lithium-ion batteries.

3. Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama: A $49 million solar array, in collaboration with Huntsville Utilities and Toyota Tsusho, supplies more than 70 percent of the plant’s energy needs

Toyota is committed to renewable energy and sustainable practices. In fact, Toyota Alabama collaborated with Huntsville Utilities and Toyota Tsusho on a $49 million solar array project, completed in summer 2024. The array provides 70 percent of the plant’s energy needs.

4. Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana: Plant infrastructure to assemble an all-new, three row battery electric SUV

Toyota will prepare for assembly of an all-new, three row battery electric SUV with an investment at the Princeton facility that will provide plant infrastructure.

5. Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky: Company’s Largest Plant in the World to Welcome BEV

Toyota Kentucky is Toyota’s largest plant globally, employing nearly 10,000 Kentuckians in high-quality, stable advanced manufacturing careers. The plant, which started assembly in 1988, will be the first Toyota plant in North America to assemble a battery electric vehicle for the North American market.

6. Toyota Motor Manufacturing Missouri: By the end of 2023, Toyota Missouri replaced every manufacturing line with the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA)

Toyota is committed to bringing innovation to every product it makes. At the end of last year, Toyota Missouri replaced every manufacturing line with the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA), a new automobile platform that adjusts to vehicle size and configuration so that one platform can assemble multiple types of vehicles.

7. Toyota Motor Manufacturing Mississippi: Home of a global bestseller

The Blue Springs plant is the only U.S. facility to assemble the world’s best-selling vehicle, the Toyota Corolla and just celebrated its 2 millionth vehicle assembled since its inception in 2007.

8. Toyota Motor Manufacturing Tennessee: Collaborating with West Tennessee school to help improve career readiness in STEM

Education is a top priority at Toyota and for the communities in which it operates. In January 2024, Toyota Tennessee kicked off a major collaborative effort with the Jackson-Madison County School System to offer middle school students a high-tech STEM curriculum.

9. Toyota Motor Manufacturing TexasHelping close transportation gaps on the south side of San Antonio

Toyota aims to connect with the communities around its plants and provide opportunities through grants, internship programs, collaborations and other pathways. For example, Toyota Texas partnered with VIA Metropolitan Transit to provide on-demand transit services for residents on the south side of San Antonio.

10. Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia: Started an agrivoltaics program to help drive sustainability forward

Sustainability is always a priority at Toyota. In fact, the West Virginia plant started an agrivoltaics program in 2023 that combines agriculture and solar power generation. To maintain the area around the plant’s 5-acre solar array, a herd of sheep is brought in to feed on grass and weeds. The 2.6 megawatt system generates enough electricity to power 420 homes.

Monday, September 30, 2024

Toyota ‘Stands Out in Every Sense’ in New Crown Family Campaign


Unleashing Power and Precision: Where Bold Sophistication Meets Thrilling Efficiency

Launching today, Toyota’s new marketing campaign, “Stand Out in Every Sense,” highlights the 2025 Toyota Crown Family in all its glory. From innovative sophisticated design to modern technology and high-end performance – all harmonizing to create a driving experience that engages every sense and elevates the everyday.

The Toyota Crown Family’s bold styling, premium comfort and elevated connected technology and features are showcased throughout the campaign, evoking that feeling when you are so captivated by something the world seems to melt away. The all-hybrid Toyota Crown Family offers a combination of power, fuel efficiency, intuitive interior design, and sleek exterior styling, ready to seize the moment.

“This campaign seamlessly captures the elevated experience that our customers can expect from the Toyota Crown Family, including the first-ever Toyota Crown Signia,” said Mike Tripp, group vice president of Toyota Marketing. “The 2025 Toyota Crowns’ groundbreaking design pushes the boundaries of convention, bringing a bold new aesthetic to our sedan and SUV lineup.”

Saatchi & Saatchi created a variety of 6-second and 15-second NLV spots including “Power Play,” “Room to Be Alone,” and “With a View,” as well as a 30-second and 15-second CTV spot “Tango” directed by SMUGGLER’s Jaron Albertin. In each spot, the Toyota Crown creates a moment in time outside of how we normally experience life. It’s as if nothing else matters.

A brief synopsis of each spot is listed below:

In “Tango,” a Toyota Crown and Toyota Crown Signia wait at a city intersection as the drivers take note of each other and their Toyota Crowns, sharing a look of recognition and mutual admiration as their eyes lock. The city soon fades away, leaving the Toyota Crowns alone in a dramatic desert landscape as they circle each other in a bold, synchronized dance, showcasing their design and power. The scene ends where it began, at the intersection, with the drivers sharing a final glance before parting ways.

“Power Play” features the Toyota Crown and Toyota Crown Signia stopping at a busy downtown intersection. The drivers exchange glances, then explore the city as the world melts away. With no one around, they drive through the streets in style, flaunting the Toyota Crowns’ performance.

“Room to Be Alone” begins in a busy city park where a couple enjoys a picnic behind their Toyota Crown Signia. As they relax in the spacious cargo area, the park empties, leaving them alone in a serene meadow, savoring the moment as the world fades away.

“With a View” starts with a Toyota Crown cruising down a busy city street as morning sunlight glints off its sleek exterior. Inside, a stylish couple shares a knowing glance. The cityscape fades, replaced by peaceful rolling hills. The camera pulls back outside, revealing the city once more, suggesting the hills represent the comfortable feeling of driving the Toyota Crown.

Media Placements
The all-new Toyota Crown Family campaign is a fully integrated campaign extending across CTV, digital content, digital video, paid social, programmatic, streaming audio, and experiential. Digital content/video includes partners such as Dotdash meredith, INSIDER, mindbodygreen, the Skimm, MAX, Peacock, and Yahoo, among others. Audio includes iHeartMedia, VOXMedia, TED, and more. Partnerships/programming highlights include OpenTable, TED Games, and TIME100 Next, among others. Paid Social runs across LinkedIn, Meta, Pinterest, Reddit, Snapchat, and TikTok.

The campaign spots are available for viewing here. For images and credits, please click here.

About the 2025 Toyota Crown Family
The 2025 Toyota Crown family is available in two striking models, the daringly innovative Crown sedan and the effortlessly elegant Crown Signia crossover SUV.

The 2025 Toyota Crown sedan’s magnificent and innovative look breaks every convention in the book and adds bold style to the Toyota sedan lineup. With available 21-inch wheels and a sleek, aerodynamic shape, the Toyota Crown is a ride that immediately catches the eye.

Available in three grades: XLE, Limited and Platinum, Toyota Crown offers a choice of two different hybrid powertrains: Hybrid MAX or the conventional Toyota Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) System. Hybrid MAX is Toyota’s performance hybrid that has 340 net combined horsepower and a net 400 lb-ft. of torque. Exclusive to the Platinum grade, it pairs front and rear electric motors with a 2.4-liter turbocharged engine and direct shift 6-speed automatic transmission. Hybrid MAX produces powerful torque at low RPM for sporty, exhilarating driving and has an EPA-estimated 30 MPG combined city/highway fuel economy rating. The HEV system also delivers ample power and efficiency to take drivers farther, with 236 hybrid system net combined horsepower and an EPA-estimated 41 combined MPG rating on the Toyota Crown XLE, Nightshade Edition and Limited grades.

The 2025 Crown’s all hybrid lineup has a starting MSRP of $41,440 for Crown XLE grade excluding Delivery Processing and Handling fee. All prices are subject to change.

The first-ever 2025 Toyota Crown Signia brings striking style and fashionable function to Toyota’s SUV lineup. With a flowing silhouette, spacious premium interior, and stylish color choices, the Crown Signia is an impeccable package that’s sure to turn heads. Available in a choice of XLE and Limited grades, it also brings capable, efficient performance with standard electronic on-demand All Wheel Drive and the Toyota HEV system. Earning an EPA-estimated combined 38 MPG rating and delivering 240 net system horsepower, the Crown Signia makes an all-new statement for the modern crossover.

The Toyota Crown Signia comes well-equipped at a Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) that starts at $43,590 for the XLE excluding Delivery Processing and Handling fee. All prices are subject to change.

© 2012-2018 Burien Toyota
15025 1st Avenue South, Burien, WA 98148