Toyota has a dream of ‘sustainable mobility society’, “one that allows us all to move freely in comfort and safety in an environmentally friendly sustainable manner”.

The Fleet News Awards judges say it is proving it can turn this into a reality.

Why? The Toyota and Lexus UK ranges include 20 different self-charging hybrid in nearly every market segment as well as a plug-in hybrid, the Prius, and the hydrogen fuel cell Mirai.

Its self-charging hybrids now represent more than 50% of alternative fuelled vehicle sales in the UK market.

For Lexus 98% of UK vehicles sold are self-charging hybrids.

There are eight Toyota and two Lexus models emitting below 100g/km CO2 and taking into account grade variations, this means 70 different models.

From 2020 Toyota will add a plug-in hybrid RAV4 and from 2021 the fully electric Lexus UX300e.

A new Mirai is coming this year, with plans to build 30,000 a year by the early 2020s. 

The RAV4, C-HR and Corolla will be hybrid-only ranges.

Toyota’s single van offering, the Proace, will be available in full electric powertrain from 2021 in the UK.

Altogether the company plans to introduce 10 battery electric vehicles to the global market in the 2020s.

For fleets specifically, the Toyota and Lexus Fleet localisation programme, delivering contract hire orders through a customer’s local dealership, rather than distances requiring delay and onward delivery, is growing in popularity and environmental impact.

2019 volumes were expected to exceed 10,000 units, with contract hire orders growing 50% year-on-year.

Toyota calculates it has reduced emissions by an average 32g/km CO2 per vehicle per kilometre in the programme which began more than four years ago. 

Finally, initiatives such as the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050, that seeks to reduce the company’s global environmental footprint, demonstrate how the company takes green initiatives seriously throughout the entire business.

Finalists: BMW Group UK, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota GB

Award sponsored by: Athlon