Toyota and World Wildlife Fund Canada Announce Prius Auction Fundraiser

Bidders will be given a chance to own a 2004 Toyota Prius and a complete set of autographed Barenaked Ladies CDs while supporting the work of WWF-Canada, by logging on to eBay Canada’s website at www.ebay.ca/wwf between February 13 and 23.

“Toyota has a long history of concern for the environment. It guides all of our decisions and actions as we do business in Canada and around the world,” explained Ken Tomikawa, President of Toyota Canada Inc. “We actively seek new ways to meet the growing transportation needs of society in ways that have less impact on the Earth. The Toyota Prius is the result of this commitment, and auctioning one is therefore an ideal way to help WWF-Canada.”

WWF-Canada President Monte Hummel said this auction will do more than help raise funds for the organization’s conservation work. “Toyota’s generous donation will also enable us to raise awareness of the fact that eco-friendly alternative products – like the Toyota Prius – are readily available in the market. This is a great opportunity to encourage Canadians to lighten their footprint on the planet.”

Steven Page, one of the founding members of the popular Canadian band Barenaked Ladies and a noted environmentalist and proponent of alternative energy sources, helped WWF-Canada, TCI and eBay Canada make today’s announcement, at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto. In November, Mr. Page – a member of WWF-Canada’s board of directors – became the first person in Canada to purchase the 2004 Toyota Prius.

“Steven Page has for years spoken his mind about the importance of preserving and protecting our planet, and the animals and plants who share it,” Mr. Tomikawa said. “This is a commitment which Toyota, as a global company, enthusiastically supports. Naturally we’re very delighted that Steven chose the Toyota Prius as his vehicle.”

The new Prius – completely redesigned for 2004 – proves there’s no need to sacrifice performance or style, or to pay a premium, to make an environmentally friendly choice when buying an automobile. While the new Prius enjoys best-in-market vehicle emissions performance and the astonishing combined city/highway fuel economy rating of 4.1 litres per 100 km (or 69 mpg), it also delivers a snappy 0-100 km/h in 10.3 seconds, a potential top speed of 166 km/h and a sleek aerodynamic profile that slices through air turbulence.

For the 2004 model year, the Prius has evolved from a compact to a midsized vehicle, the most popular car segment in North America. The change gives the Prius more space in the passenger cabin, while its liftback design delivers 50% more room for hauling cargo.

The Prius is powered by Toyota’s third generation gasoline-electric hybrid system – the Hybrid Synergy Drive. This system couples a 1.5 litre gasoline engine, a high-performance electric motor, a generator, a battery, a unique power-splitting device and an electronically-controlled continuously variable automatic transmission. This full hybrid system allows the Prius to automatically operate in either gasoline or electric modes, or a combined gas and electric mode, to deliver optimum power and efficiency as determined by driving conditions.

The 2004 Prius will offer fuel savings of as much as $500 annually compared to a similar midsized sedan, such as the Toyota Camry 4-cylinder which is already an ultra-low emissions vehicle (ULEV). Prius is rated as a Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (SULEV) and an Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle according to stringent California Air Resources Board standards.

The 2004 Prius is equipped with many standard features that are often considered amenities only found on luxury models, including automatic air conditioning, cruise control, traction control, heated side mirrors, power windows and door locks, plus remote keyless entry, making it an outstanding value compared to any car in its price segment.