The Future of Hybrids
If you want to understand the environmental impact of automobiles, it's important to look beyond smog and greenhouse gases. The consequences of manufacturing, years of driving, and dismantling all need to be accounted for. In this light, Toyota developed Eco-VAS (Eco-Vehicle Assessment System). It's a powerful tool for predicting and reducing the future environmental impact of Toyota vehicles.
Camry Hybrid: Eco-VAS tested
The 2007 Camry Hybrid is the first U.S.-assembled Toyota product to be developed with Eco-VAS. As more cars are created with Eco-VAS, Toyota moves towards meeting its goals to help preserve the global environment. Toyota's Global Earth Charter and Environmental Action Plans establish challenging goals that tools such as Eco-VAS are designed to fulfill. [1]

Eco thinking at the product planning stage
Eco-VAS utilizes a widely adapted methodology called Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). It functions as a framework for analysis of environmental impact. Eco-VAS takes LCA to the next level: from just analysis to actual design changes in a vehicle's development. This enables Toyota engineers to improve environmental performance while a product takes shape from drawing board to assembly line.

Toyota product engineers set and implement targets for vehicles in the following six critical dimensions:
  • Fuel efficiency
  • Exhaust emissions
  • External vehicle noise
  • Reduction of environmental impact throughout the entire lifecycle of vehicle use
  • Improved recyclability
  • Reduction of use of substances of concern, such as toxic metals
All the necessary data are available online, and the chief engineer can access the information and carry out the evaluation at a personal terminal.

Below are some of the areas of measurement:

Vehicle production stage
  • Reduce substances of concern, such as lead and hexavalent chromium
  • Minimize use of energy in production
  • Manufacture some parts from "eco plastics," which are derived from agricultural products, not fossil fuels
Driving stage
  • Improve fuel efficiency
  • Operate quieter on the road
  • Produce fewer exhaust emissions
    • Greenhouse gas
        Carbon dioxide (CO2)
    • Smog components
        NOx -- Oxides of nitrogen, a smog component
        SOx -- Sulfur oxides
        PM -- Particulate matter
  • Reduce impact of batteries, tires, oil, and parts used in maintenance
Recycling and disposal
  • Collect and reuse recyclable materials
  • Make dismantling easier
  • Prevent harmful waste from being generated during vehicle disposal
Hybrid vehicles score points
Eco-VAS studies of Toyota hybrid vehicles confirm what most would expect: the total environmental impact is lower than conventional vehicles. For instance, Prius has an Eco-VAS lifetime CO2 index 35 percent lower than a gasoline-powered vehicle.

A holistic view of continual improvement
Eco-VAS is in harmony with Toyota's concept of Kaizen -- continual improvement, new thinking, and openness to change. Toyota engineers are challenged to incrementally reduce the environmental impact of their products year after year. Eco-VAS takes a holistic real-world view of the environmental impact of manufacturing, driving, and disposing of cars. It's a practical way to ensure that positive results will follow.


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[1] The 2005 Toyota North American Environmental Report has detailed information on Earth Charter and the Environmental Action Plan.