Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/803478
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 26 MARCH 2017 Events 43 Worldwide sales of Toyota Hybrids surpass 10 million units As at January 2017, Toyota Motor Cor- poration had sold over 10 million hybrid vehicle (HV), a landmark not only for the automotive industry but also for the en- ergy sector. More than a numerical mile- stone, this demonstrates that the technol- ogy behind hybrid engines is here to stay and gradually evolving into a mainstream solution to reduce greenhouse gas emis- sions and other pollutants. Twenty years ago Toyota was amongst the first to enter the hybrid market – with the Coaster Hybrid EV and the Prius. With greenhouse gas emissions becoming an increasing issue of global magnitude, the first generation Prius represented Toyota's response on the matter, leading the way for other industry participants to follow. Today, Toyota sells 33 different hy- brid models in more than 90 countries and regions worldwide. "When we launched Prius, no one even knew what a hybrid was. Those who drove it were called geeks or other names." com- ments Takeshi Uchiyamada, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Toyota and known as the father of the Prius. 'Today, thanks to those early adopters who gave Prius a chance, hybrids have grown in popularity, and have ridden a wave of success out of the unknown and into the mainstream. We are grateful to each and every one of our customers who has helped us achieve this important milestone of 10 million hybrid sales. We are committed to continue working hand- in-hand with them to tackle global environ- mental issues.' Since the introduc- tion of the hybrid car more than 29 kilolitres of gasoline has been saved, also reducing CO2 emissions by 77 million tons. In Oc- tober 2015 Toyota announced the 'Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050', giving itself green targets to accomplish mainly aimed at reducing the negative impacts of automobiles on the global environment to as close to zero as possible, whilst also contributing to the creation of a sustain- able society. Likewise, the shift towards hybrid tech- nology is happening in Malta, primarily thanks to the introduction of new hybrid models at more competitive prices, in- creased technology efficiency and strong- er awareness and commitment to a clean- er environment. A number of government initiatives are in place to encourage fur- ther take-up, including a grant of up to €2,000 on low CO2 emission hybrids. This is also confirmed by Patrick Clark, General Man- ager for the local Toyota dis- tributors Michael Debono Ltd. 'The hybrid car is be- coming an increasingly pop- ular environmentally friendly vehicle in Malta too. Suffice to say that one of every three Yaris and Auris models sold is a hybrid. They are ideal in more ways than one for the Maltese market. Hybrids of- fer superior fuel consump- tion in high traffic situations where the electric motor powers the vehicle with zero emissions. The hybrid battery charges automatically when the car is be- ing driven and does not require any plug- in to an electricity mains.' To view the Toyota hybrid line up or to learn more about the hybrid technology the public is invited to visit the Toyota showroom in Zebbug or visit the compa- ny's website www.toyota.com.mt Land Rover reveals New Discovery The New Discovery embodies Land Rover's drive to go Above and Beyond, combining British desirability with an unstoppable spirit of adventure. It's an authen- tic, three-row, seven-seat SUV with unbeatable capability and versatility. Everyday ingenuity has been at the heart of the Discovery for the last 27 years. New Discovery sig- nals the transformation from cogs to code with more than 1.2 mil- lion customers with us on every step of the journey. The fifth-generation model ben- efits from Land Rover's strong, safe and light full-size SUV archi- tecture, delivering comfort and adaptability like no other. Revolutionary design New Discovery was previewed by the Discovery Vision Concept, which showcased the future di- rection of the entire Discovery family when it debuted at the New York Auto Show in 2014, and represents a radical departure for Land Rover's most versatile SUV. The revolutionary design gives Discovery a dynamic appearance with sophisticated surfaces and precisely engineered details de- signed to resonate with customers on an emotional level. Gerry McGovern, Land Rover's Chief Design Officer said: "Design creates an emotional connection between our customers and our vehicles. Our clear design strategy means our vehicles are instantly recognisable and communicate the values of Land Rover that our customers love. New Discovery's flawless volume and proportions, sophisticated surfaces and pre- cise detailing beautifully combine with engineering integrity to cre- ate a premium SUV that will reso- nate with today's customers." Trademark design features in- clude the stepped roofline, which has identified each of the four previous generations of Discovery and provides an elegant solution to a practical need. The stepped profile optimises headroom for passengers travelling in the third row of seats. It also accommodates Discovery's customary stadium seating configuration, which sees each row of seats positioned high- er than the one in front, ensuring every seat is the best seat in the house. Land Rover's design and engi- neering integrity ensures New Discovery is able to accommo- date seven full-sized adults in an SUV body measuring less than five metres in length (4,970mm). Most similar-sized competitors provide 5+2 seating but New Dis- covery is designed for 95th per- centile adults to sit comfortably in its rearmost seats, providing complete interior flexibility. Both third-row seats incorporate ISO- FIX mounting points (five in to- tal), so families have the freedom to put child seats in the most ap- propriate seat for any journey. The interior of New Discovery continues the design revolution started by the Discovery Sport, where customers can specify a range of premium materials in- cluding luxurious Windsor leath- er upholstery and natural oak ve- neers. The optional Dynamic Design Pack gives New Discovery a more purposeful, stealth-like appear- ance both inside and out, with features including a contrast roof, athletic front and rear bumper designs, luxurious leather uphol- stery and a sports-inspired steer- ing wheel and pedals setting it apart. On-road performance is en- hanced by Land Rover's proven lightweight and durable alumin- ium monocoque architecture, which contributes to a 480kg weight saving compared to steel ladder construction. Land Rover's advanced integral link rear sus- pension delivers superior han- dling characteristics without compromising the superb ride comfort that has defined succes- sive generations of the Discovery family. Night Service to increase this week Malta Public Transport announc- es that it will be gradually in- creasing the Night Service routes, starting with the introduction of additional Night Service routes on Wednesdays and Sundays on the popular Route N13 as from today, Wednesday 22 March 2017. Route N13 will be operating from Valletta towards St. Julian's be- tween 23:30 and 01:10 and from St. Julian's to Valletta between 23:50 and 01:30 every 20 min- utes on Wednesday and Sunday nights. It will continue to operate as usual on Friday and Saturday nights. "Following feedback we received from our passengers, we are extending our most popular night route to four nights a week," explained Daniel Grech, Com- mercial Director of Malta Public Transport. "This is a service that we are offering over and above our contractual obligations in an attempt to offer our passengers a cost-effective way to travel at night." There will be no change to the other night routes: N11, be- tween Cirkewwa and St. Julian's; N10 between St. Julian's and the localities in the south of the is- land; and N12, between St Ju- lian's and central localities. There will be no changes in the fare for Night Service, which is set at €3 for tickets purchased on the bus and €2.50 for passengers using a tallinja card. Further information on routes and timetables can be found on the Malta Public Transport web- site (www.publictransport.com. mt). Passengers are reminded that real time information, including that of night services, is available on the tallinja app, which can be downloaded free of charge from the App Store or Play Store. Pas- sengers without a smartphone or data connection can also send an SMS with the bus stop name to 50611010 to receive the bus ar- rival times. New Auto Top-Up Service Never get caught without credit on your tallinja card Malta Public Transport an- nounces that it will start offering its customers an Auto Top-Up facility on their tallinja cards. With this service the customers will enjoy peace of mind, know- ing that their tallinja card will be topped up automatically and that they will never run out of credit when they need to travel by bus. In order to make use of the Auto Top-Up facility, customers need to register for an online account on publictransport.com.mt. Once they login on their online account, customers may set up their Auto Top-Up by enter- ing the debit or the credit card details. After successfully sav- ing the details, this credit/debit card will be the default card dis- played in the customer's profile. Automatic top-ups are based on two criteria: either when a pre- determined balance is reached; or else on a specific day of the month. Customers may choose the option that suits them best. Once the Auto Top-Up is set up successfully, customers will re- ceive a confirmation email. As an introductory offer, the company is giving a free €5 top up to the first 100 customers who register for the Auto Top-Up service. This offer is only valid for the first 100 Auto Top-Ups registered until 31 March 2017.