May 2004

Toyota's Commitment to the Environment Strengthens

•Toyota and Ford to license hybrid and emission reduction technology
Toyota and Ford Motor Company have agreed to license patented technology for hybrid powertrains and emission reduction. Ford has purchased licenses for twenty Toyota patents on hybrid systems and control technology for their hybrid vehicle development program. The scope of the agreement does not include the use of Toyota hybrid powertrain components.

Toyota and Ford also concluded an agreement that covers licensing a number of each company's emission purification technology patents for lean-burn engines, centering on NOx reduction. Toyota has a track record of licensing hybrid technology to other automakers. In 2002, for example, Toyota and Nissan concluded a long-term agreement on hybrid systems that included two-way technical cooperation and, unlike the Ford agreement, the use of Toyota components.

•Toyota scores high in guides to greener vehicles
Eighteen Toyota cars, trucks, minivans, and SUVs-more than any other brand-are in the Best of 2004 list in the Green Book, published by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE).

In addition, Toyota and Scion have more vehicles than any other manufacturer among the top ten gasoline-powered vehicles in the book's Greenest Vehicles of 2004 list. They are: Prius, Echo, Corolla, and Scion xA (all are 4-cylinder models with manual transmissions, except for Prius and xA with automatics).

More Toyota vehicles ranked number one than those of other manufacturers in the twenty-three vehicle classes in the Best of 2004 ratings. Green Book ratings are based on measurements of tailpipe emissions that are thought to threaten public health and adversely affect climate change. Green Book lists are available online at www.greenercars.com/bestof.html.

•Toyota receives recognition for waste reduction
For the fourth year in a row, Toyota's North American Parts Center, California (NAPCC) has received a Waste Reduction Awards Program (WRAP) award from the California Integrated Waste Management Board. The Board also honored NAPCC with a WRAP of the Year award, recognizing it for demonstrating one of the state's top ten models for achievement in waste reduction. Terry Tamminen, the new Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency, presented the award.

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama has been awarded the 2003 Achievement Award in Pollution Prevention for being a zero landfill facility.