By Joseph Pedrajas
Toyota Motor Philippines held the first Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) educational caravan at the Mapua University, Monday, in time for the opening of the school’s Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering Week.
TOYOTA HEV ON CAMPUS TOUR -- Toyota Motor Philippines First Vice President for Brand & Product Planning Cluster Ms. Cristina Arevalo (center) at the ribbon cutting ceremony with Mapua's Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering student council leaders during the launching of the campus tour to introduce hybrid electric vehicle technology to students. (TOYOTA / MANILA BULLETIN)
The campus tour aims to raise public awareness on the environmental benefits of hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) technology and differentiate it from electric vehicles (EV), which require additional infrastructure for charging.
“HEV cars are environment-friendly,” Cristina Arevalo, TMP First Vice President for Brand and Product Planning, said.
“It is better to have a face-to-face discussion with the students to better explain the technology compared to the traditional way of building awareness through is tri-media. We want to try a new approach which is campus educational campaign,” she added.
The campus tour has two components – a classroom lecture explaining the benefits of hybrid electric technology according to the “well-to-wheel” expenses and the estimated emission as compared to the conventional engine; and to examine and test drive the Toyota Prius.
The seminar was conducted to the students of the Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering of Mapua.
Toyota’s campus tour is scheduled to bring the HEV lecture and test drive to De La Salle University Manila and the University of Santo Tomas.
In the Philippines, Toyota offers the HEV engine in the Prius, which was introduced in the country in 2009.
In the Philippines, Toyota offers the HEV engine in the Prius, which was introduced in the country in 2009. The Prius has a 1.5-liter engine, while the Prius C has a 1.8-L engine.