2012/09/28

Toyota Canada going for third consecutive Rallye International Vert de Montréal title

TOYOTA CANADA - The Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid (PHV) – with its proven and efficient powertrain – will defend its title as the hybrid category's most fuel efficient vehicle as it goes for its third straight win when the 2012 Rallye International Vert de Montréal takes place September 28-30.

The Rallye International Vert de Montréal is the seventh stop on the annual Fédération Internationale de l'automobile (FIA) Alternative Energies Cup tour. It's a three-day "green" rally covering a distance of 600 kilometres. Challenging advanced technology vehicles to be as efficient as possible, the rally includes eco-friendly cars using alternative energy or fuel sources such as gasoline, electricity, propane, biofuel and diesel. Montreal is the only FIA Alternative Energies Cup rally in Canada among the nine held around the world this year.

In this year's Montreal rally, driver Vinh Pham, Advanced Technology and Powertrain Engineer at Toyota Canada, will be joined by navigator Alan Ockwell, who won his first navigational rally at age nine and has an impressive five overall victories and 20 podium finishes in performance rallies.

"Time and again, the PHV, and indeed the entire Prius family have demonstrated how Toyota sets the standard in advanced green technology," said Stephen Beatty, Managing Director and Chief Environmental Officer of Toyota Canada Inc. "With over 4 million sold worldwide, Toyota hybrids have proven to the world that they are more than ready for real-world driving."

The Toyota Prius PHV's extended all electric range combined with the flexibility of Toyota's proven Hybrid Synergy Drive platform offers the best of both worlds: electric for shorter trips like the typical daily commute and hybrid for everything else. In winning last year's rally, the Toyota PHV achieved the competition's top fuel efficiency of 3L/100 km.

To follow blog posts, pictures and result updates on the Prius Plug-In during The Rallye, visit the Toyota Canada Prius Plug-in Facebook page: www.Facebook.com/ToyotaCanadaPriusPlugin

For more information about the FIA's Alternative Energies Cup or Rallye International Vert de Montreal, visit:
http://www.rallye-alternative.com/
http://www.fia.com/en-GB/sport/championships/Pages/alternative.aspx