The Road Toward Greener Commutes

Words by Allana Rufo

The automotive industry is no longer the same as it was a few years ago. Along with its traditional role in manufacturing vehicles, it has now also taken the responsibility of practicing more sustainable methods for its operations. As greenhouse gases continue to rise in recent years, the industry has been putting more effort into reducing its impact on the environment. From coming up with eco-friendlier vehicles to developing alternative on-demand transport solutions to improving manufacturing processes so that they produce less carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, automakers are innovating toward a more livable tomorrow.

Toyota, which contributes to global mobility with about 10 million cars annually, continuously promotes a wide range of initiatives to address the serious environmental issues that affect the world today.

When Toyota launched the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050 or TEC2050 globally in October 2015, the company specified two pillars to the goal: going beyond zero environmental impact and achieving a net positive impact in the communities that it serves. Whereas going beyond zero environmental impact means taking on the challenge to reduce the environmental burden attributed to car manufacturing to as close to zero as possible, achieving a net positive impact means that the impact on the environment should outweigh the actions taken to reduce such impacts.

The production of Hybrid Electric Vehicles or HEVs falls under the TEC2050’s first pillar as it aims to reduce the global average of CO2 emissions from new vehicles by 90 percent compared to Toyota’s 2010 levels. While it is the collective goal of Toyota affiliates around the world to reduce the CO2 emissions of its processes, Toyota in different regions is contributing to this goal in varying degrees, in accordance with the local factors that enable them. As an automaker, Toyota promotes its HEV technology as one of the ways it is working toward zero environmental impact while still being able to provide for the mobility needs of its customers.

When it comes to HEV adoption, the readiness to adopt alternative vehicle solutions, which includes sufficient education about electric vehicles or EVs; and government support, such as incentives and infrastructure that would make it more worthwhile to own one, affect the speed and degree by which regions are able to contribute to the accomplishment of TEC2050.

Locally, Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) launched its first HEV, the Prius, in 2009 as a greener alternative to its lineup of traditional combustion engine vehicles. However, while it was received well as a concept, it seemed the local market was not ready to adopt the relatively new technology. However, TMP would not stop there, and in the succeeding years, it would double its efforts to educate more people about HEV technology. In 2019, it held the Toyota Hybrid Technology Conference and went on a series of Hybrid Campus Tours to raise awareness and open discussion about the benefits of HEVs for the Philippine society.

With the current environment setting of the Philippines, HEVs are the most practical option as the country anticipates the adoption of fully electric vehicles. The hybrid in its name refers to how the vehicle combines two sources of energy propulsion. TMP, in particular, carries a lineup of HEVs that harness the power of a conventional gas engine and an electric motor. At low and mid-range speeds, and at full stop, the vehicle makes use of the electric motor, minimizing fuel consumption. At normal speeds, the computer-controlled engine system adapts according to the requirements of the driver, switching between the gas engine, electric motor, and a combination of both as needed. During rapid acceleration, the engine adds power to the electric motor and simultaneously charges the HEV battery. Finally, when brakes are applied, an electronically controlled brake system uses kinetic energy to charge the electric motor’s battery. A common misconception about HEVs is that it has to be plugged in. However, because of this system, HEVs actually have a self-charging electric motor, which doesn’t need an external power source.

TMP continues to push for wider adoption of HEVs in the country by offering the HEV technology with the more competitively priced mainstream Toyota models Filipinos are already familiar with, eliminating in a way the hesitance attributed to a new design and name. In 2019, the company introduced the Corolla Altis Hybrid; in 2020, the Corolla Cross Hybrid; in 2021, the Camry Hybrid; and in 2022, the RAV4 Hybrid. Today, TMP has the most expansive HEV product lineup with five Toyota models and five Lexus models.

And while Toyota has also been developing a lineup of battery electric vehicles (BEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) globally, HEVs are the current practical solution in a market like the Philippines where infrastructure for fully electric vehicles is yet to be developed.

The Corolla Altis Hybrid has an average fuel consumption of 22.7 km/L, while its gas counterpart delivers 15.4 km/L. [1] The more fuel consumed, the more CO2 is being emitted. An HEV, therefore, is not only more fuel-efficient but more eco-friendly as well. Globally, Toyota has reduced CO2 emissions by 139 million tons with its HEVs[2], and with the growing support for HEVs in the Philippines and similar markets, it may see this number rise exponentially in the coming years.

The road toward greener commutes is a long one, but not an impossible one. And while automakers, including Toyota, are endeavoring to roll out fully electric vehicles as an answer to the problem of rising greenhouse gases, HEVs, as well as BEVs, PHEVs, and FCEVs, are playing a significant role in paving the way toward a wider acceptance of EVs as they enlighten communities about their environmental benefits and serve as the readily available solution.