Unprecedented growth in hybrid sales

Al-Futtaim Motors, a leader in sustainable mobility, has announced a never-before increase in Toyota hybrid sales led by the Prius and Camry hybrid. It registered a whopping 535% and 430% growth respectively for the two models in the first half of this year, as compared to the same period in 2016.

Launched last year in the UAE, Toyota Prius delivers enhanced fuel efficiency of 26.1 KM per litre, and is the world’s first mass-produced hybrid vehicle employing both a petrol engine and an electric motor. The hybrid car can be powered by the engine, the electric motor or a combination of both, automatically choosing the most efficient mode for the best mileage and lowest emission. Since its introduction in 1997 Toyota has sold over 3.7 million Prius vehicles around the globe, with cumulative hybrid sales surpassing 10 million. This has resulted in approximately 77 million fewer tons of CO2 emissions and saving approximately 29 million kilolitres of gasoline.

In the UAE fleet business, over 1,000 Camry Hybrid vehicles have been an integral part for a number of taxi operators including Dubai Taxi Corporation, Cars Taxi, National Taxi, Metro Taxi, Arabia Taxi, Citi Taxi, Union Taxi and Emirates Cab. This has lessened the burden on the environment by contributing to cleaner, less polluted air in the country.

Saud Abbasi, Managing Director of Toyota at Al-Futtaim Motors, said, “In light of the sustainability initiatives that the UAE government is implementing as part of its UAE Vision 2021, we take pride in being the pioneers in sustainable motoring. Our customers’ confidence in our hybrid offerings reiterate our position. Our hybrid cars offer an immediate solution to a greener UAE, requiring no additional infrastructure development, no external charging and no changes in driver behaviour.”

“This positive growth for both the Prius and the Camry Hybrid are proof that our customers are becoming increasingly aware of the environmental and financial benefits of owning hybrid cars. Studies show that a regular person could save up to one ton of CO2 using his Prius for a year, while a fleet of hybrid taxi cars could save over 30% on fuel while emitting over 30% less CO2. Given current fuel prices in the UAE, it costs the Prius customer AED 6.7 to drive a distance of 100 kilometres in his car,”

Earlier this year, Al-Futtaim Motors had announced a new partnership with Toyota Motor Corporation, Masdar, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and Air Liquide, in a joint research program to explore the potential of hydrogen energy use in the UAE for the creation of a sustainable, low-carbon society. As part of the program, Al-Futtaim Motors has deployed a number of Mirai fuel-cell vehicles (FCV) for testing on UAE roads.

Al-Futtaim Motors has showcased the zero-emission hydrogen-powered electric Toyota Mirai at a number of exhibitions and sustainability events to give the public and key government stakeholders the opportunity to witness what the future of sustainable transport could look like.