Victoria chosen for Toyota Camry Hybrid manufacture
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10 June 2008
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In an Australian first, Toyota will produce 10,000 Camry Hybrid vehicles per year at its Altona plant just west of Melbourne from 2010 - a move set to strengthen Victoria’s globally competitiveness in the automotive industry.
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“We decided to build the Camry Hybrid in Australia because Australians are keenly aware of environmental issues including global warming, and we are confident that the Camry Hybrid will be well received. Toyota intends to make further efforts toward popularizing hybrid vehicles,” Toyota President Katsuaki Watanabe said from Japan.
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Victorian Premier John Brumby welcomed the announcement, having personally advocated for a hybrid car to be built in Victoria.
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“During my recent trip to Japan I met with President of Toyota, Katsuaki Watanabe, to discuss the prospect of Victoria becoming home to a locally built hybrid car and I am pleased that Toyota has made this decision,” Mr Brumby said.
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“With car manufacturers moving on a global scale to produce green fuel efficient cars it is crucial that the Victorian auto industry secures a slice of this investment which will add $150 million annually to our economy.
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From Japan, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said that the Federal Government was delighted Toyota had invested in Victoria and noted support from the Government’s $500 million Green Car Innovation Fund.
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“The Federal Government is talking to all the car and component makers about ways to build cleaner greener cars, to reduce carbon emissions and improve fuel efficiency, as part of building a sound future of the Australian vehicle industry,” said Mr Rudd.
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Toyota is the largest exporter of Australian produced vehicles. In 2007, 98,000 vehicles were exported to more than 20 overseas destinations.
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Toyota introduced the world's first mass-produced gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle in 1997, the Toyota Prius, and aims to sell one million or more hybrid vehicles annually as early as possible in the 2010s.
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