Toyota Hybrids Recruited For The World's Greenest Car Club

EPSOM, UNITED KINGDOM – October 11, 2010: Toyota is helping launch the world’s greenest commercial car club by supplying Prius and Auris hybrid cars to Glasgow’s new City Car Club.

The hourly car and van rental company, which opened for business yesterday in the city’s West End, operates an all-hybrid fleet comprising nine Prius and Auris models. It expects to increase numbers to 20 in the New Year and provide rental services right across the city.

Prius and Auris hybrids are clean and fuel efficient choices for City Car Club, with emissions from just 89 g/km of CO2 and delivering 70mpg-plus combined cycle fuel consumption. Thanks to their full hybrid powertrain, they are also able to run solely on electric power at lower speeds, ideal for slow moving city traffic, cutting tailpipe emissions and fuel consumption to zero.

Jon Williams, Managing Director of Toyota (GB) PLC who attended the launch said: “The introduction of the hybrid-only car club coincides with the milestone of two million Prius sales around the globe, reaffirming people’s acceptance of hybrid technology worldwide.

“We believe the club’s members will appreciate the quiet, smooth, comfortable ride which our hybrids provide, as well as the knowledge they are driving cars with the lowest emissions on the market.”

James Finlayson, City Car Club’s Managing Director, who was at the official launch in the West End today commented: “We‘re delighted to have launched Glasgow’s official car club. Even in the run up to the launch, we received a large number of membership applications from residents in Glasgow, so we know the car club is going to be a great success.

“We’re looking forward to expanding our network of hybrid cars right across the city over the coming months, and providing a service that will help reduce the city’s carbon emissions, congestion and parking pressure.”

Glasgow City Council’s Executive Member for Land and Environmental Services, Cllr Jim Coleman, said: "Building a more sustainable city is in everyone’s interest – and a project such as this, which is not only environmentally but socially and financially sustainable, can only make Glasgow a better place to live in and visit.

“I believe the Car Club will be a great asset to the city – and I am very proud that Glasgow will be leading the way, globally, on lower emissions.”

City Car Club provides its members with 24-hour access to self-service cars that can be booked online or over the phone at a moment’s notice. Each vehicle has its own reserved on-street parking bay so a parking space is guaranteed at the end of each journey.

It has already established a successful operation in Edinburgh, with almost 4,000 members and a fleet of 100 cars. Across the UK, City Car Club has a membership base of approaching 20,000 and over 500 cars and vans. Members of the new Glasgow car club not only have access to every City Car within the city, but also those in Edinburgh and 13 other major cities in England. More information can be found at www.citycarclub.co.uk.