Toyota Camry Hybrid Revealed

By Paul Maric | December 11th, 2009

Toyota has revealed the production ready Camry Hybrid this morning to a constituent of employees, media and special guests, which included Australian Prime Minister, The Honourable Kevin Rudd, along with Victorian Premier, The Honourable John Brumby and Minister for Industry, The Honourable Kim Carr.

Emitting over 35% less than its six-cylinder competitors, the Toyota Camry Hybrid is Australia’s first locally built hybrid vehicle.

Toyota will begin producing the Camry Hybrid from 2010 with a production run of some 10,000 vehicles per year, including an initial export program of 300 units to New Zealand.

Producing a combined 140kW of power from its 2.4-litre petrol engine and electric motor, the Camry Hybrid emits under 150g/km of Co2 emissions and is expected to use around 6.0L/100km on a combined cycle.

While the consumption and carbon emission figures are an impressive reduction from the original fuel consumption and carbon emissions figure, the Mazda6 Diesel, Skoda Octavia TDI and Volkswagen Passat TDI already emit around the same carbon emissions, if not less, in addition to matching and in the case of the Mazda6 and Octavia bettering the combined fuel consumption figures.

Victorian Premier, The Honourable John Brumby declared the Camry Hybrid as the start of an “exciting new era for the automotive industry in Victoria,” while adding that the Australian Government has committed to purchasing 2000 Camry Hybrids for its fleet, accounting for 1/5th of the first year of sales.

Toyota used part of the government’s $1.3-billion green car innovation fund to bring the Camry Hybrid to fruition. Toyota Executive Vice President, Yukitoshi Funo said that Australia is the “5th country in the world to produce Camry Hybrid, following Japan, USA, China and Thailand,” opening up the floor to further export opportunities for Toyota Australia.

Barely hesitating the opportunity to plug his ‘climate change plan’, Australian Prime Minister, The Honourable Kevin Rudd told the congregation that the Camry Hybrid furthered his 2006 election pledge, where he said “I don’t want to be a prime minister of a country where we don’t make things anymore”.

The reveal ended with the Prime Minister having a quick drive of the Camry Hybrid, asking everyone to “clear a path for the PM, it’s for your own safety.”

The Toyota Camry Hybrid goes on sale in February, 2010. Pricing and availability will be announced closer to the launch date.

Mitch

Seems kinda pointless if those cars are just as good using a diesel engine.

FrugalOne

@Mitch^^^

Hybrids are cleaner and greener than any cancer causing DIEsel would ever be.

Should have gone all-the-way and made it powered by LPG too

It will be a winner, it has a BIGT[tm. FO] badge on it, EVERY council and government dept. will snap them up.

Good for us guys that like frugal [no relation!] low mile 2nd hand car buying!

Cheers

F-0

Simon

Frugal RE: diesels
you must be stuck in the 90s.

Will

It will be interesting to see their pricing. The Camry hybrid in US costs about 28kUS.

Fleet car comes to mind.

Any self respecting private buyer would buy a diesel over this very publically funded crystal set.

Sammy

The emissions from diesel are some of the worst around, luckily a lot of European countries are removing the tax benefits from diesel due to environmental concerns. As the euro market start buying more petrol hybrids you will see even greater use of the technology.

Will

Sammy, read the article. It makes some interesting points regarding comparitive emissions.

The medium term future will arrive over the next two years with a number of diesel electric variants coming from Euro.
Simon

What a load of crap. Modern diesels have a particulate filter and many are also using Ad blue urea solutions to reduce Nox emissions.
You are living in last decade’s diesel mindset.

Cupid Stunt

Totally agree Simon. Seems Sammy is as short sighted as a lot of other Petrol heads who would rather drive petrol motors producing about 20% more CO2 contributing to global warming. Oooh now theres a cat amongst pigeons.

Andrew M

Want to tell us how much more stuff diesels put out that harm humans, or are you just happy saving a tree every now and then???

Cars in general count for bugger all to this so called global warming.

Also I dont believe diesels put out 20% less co2.
Where does that come from???

topdog

I think your missing the point diesels are better for the planet yes but thay are more deadly to humans.There been proven to kill us much faster than petrol.I dont think diesel is the way to go .

Simon

Where do those “facts” you refer to come from? 1990?
Diesel particulates are a primary source of carcinogens, hence a diesel particulate filter provided standard with every modern diesel.
Nox are another source hence the use of Ad Blue by several manufacturers to reduce their emission.
Andrew M

Simon,
Lets take the i30 for example since there is a vehicle exactlly the same, just an engine change. (first vehicle that comes to mind where that comparo can be done.

The i30 diesel actually has less green stars than the petrol version.

wait a sec, ill dig up the ratings…….

Hyundai i30 petrol…….green rating = 4.5 stars
Hyundai i30 diesel…….green rating = 3.5 stars

petrol
CO2 Emissions 170
Green House Rating 7.0
Air Pollution Rating 8.5

Diesel
CO2 Emissions 125
Green House Rating 8.0
Air Pollution Rating 5.0

Now as you clearly see, the diesel versions with thanks to their lower consumption put out less co2, but a heck of a lot more other rubbish which brings its overall “green” score well down

The newly spruked about SIDI commodore has a better green house rating which is what I find very funy.

Every is co2 mad, but does anyone know what it means, or do we just assume it means bad stuff???
Get a grip

Andrew M says:
“Also I dont believe diesels put out 20% less co2.
Where does that come from???”

Taking your above example of the Hyundai I30 – isn’t in obvious?
Andrew M

I was in 2 minds when I wrote that, and realised after I wasnt clear.

I was getting at the fuel itself being dirtier, just the lower consumption saves it, as I went on to say later.

The Real Car Fanatic

Interesting Andrew, cause when we compare Audi’s A4 range we get this.

Audi A4 2.0T FSI Multitronic
Green star rating 7 air pollution rating 6.5
Audi A4 1.8T FSI Manual
Green Star rating 7 Air Pollution rating 6.5
Audi A4 2.0 TDI Multitronic
Green Star Rating 7.5 Air Pollution rating 5

I guess Hyundai Diesels aren’t quite advanced as VAG diesels but give it time.

Seems Diesel ( when built by the leaders in Diesel technology,) is actually more environmentally friendly. VAG diesel particulates are doing their job then!

Andrew M

Thats right mate, the air pollution rating on the diesel is 1.5 stars behind the petrol meaning whilst co2 is lower on the diesels, its score is dragged down by the other pollution.

These guys are apparently the leaders, yet it still concludes much higher air pollution coming from diesels.

Also I think you need to check the scoring system.
I think you mean “green house rating”, not “green star rating”

The actual green star ratings only go up to 5

To get the actual green star rating you add the pollution rating with the green house rating…….the higher the score, the more “Green” it is. It is then scaled down on to a 5 star system.

once again, even with your choice of the best case vehicle, it proves that petrol is still greener
Simon

Andrew M it seems you are anti-diesel because it has a slightly higher air pollution rating.
I can’t argue that, but given the better economy, mileage and lower CO2 emissions I find it strange to be so negative about it. Diesels are constantly improving to reduce particulate and Nox emissions.
Petrol engines, pound for pound tend to be better performance wise in the most common applications. That said, diesel performance is rapidly closing the gap in mainstream motoring.
There are places where diesels positively outshine petrol, notably where ever high torque is required e.g. 4x4s, towing, carrying a large capacity and driving in mountainous areas frequently.
Andrew M

Simon,
I am not anti diesel, just fed up with the diesel mentality that rings its so much cleaner then petrol, which is total BS

There are some cars I would only look at a diesel in such as the jap ute range, if I dared to drive a pig on wheels, The diesels are much better on the road, and get far better economy. On the other hand there are other cars I wouldnt even consider in a diesel.

You say diesels are constantly improving to reduce particulates, but they are still a lot further behind than you think.
And on the other side of the fence, whilst diesels are improving, so too are petrols.
You only have to look at the new “eco boosted” style engines coming to market that achieve same or better economy as diesels.
And also with this boosted method comes more torque, and it comes on from very low revs

Once again Im not anti diesel, I just think half the time its a w*nk over nothing.
I dont care what a particular vehicles green rating is, I will drive what ever I feel like. The Co2 ratings dont phase me, I just get a laugh at the diesel = cleaner theory
Simon

Andrew M – Fair enough.
I have no idea who is sprouting the “diesel mentality that rings its so much cleaner”
As you have pointed out – it isn’t cleaner and no one can rightly say it is. Despite this I am pro-diesel for all the reasons I previously listed.
The only complaint I have with my TDI is it’s slow off the mark.
The best thing is I average a visit to the servo only once every 3 weeks. In pure city driving I get no less than 800Ks per tank (70L).
It blows no smoke and goes hard once rolling. Some people will never choose a diesel, but then again some will never know what it’s like to have experienced diesel driving with a modern car.
There is a positive side to that. If less people buy them – diesel will avoid the crazy price hikes that petrol goes through and I’m all for stable fuel pricing.
Andrew M

so what diesel exactlly do you have??
Simon

Passat
Andrew M

Good for you, I hope you are happy with it.
I assume you bought it because you liked the drive etc.

Dont tell me you went the green angle…….

The fact remains diesels are dirtier, but if I liked the diesel version better I would also buy the diesel.
As I said earlier, its this green mentality that gets me banging my head because people only want to look at what the government is promoting.

Buy it for you, not to impress anyone.

Some vehicles I would buy in diesel because the drive is so much better, some vehicles I wouldnt touch diesel because its not warranted because the petrol version are already a decent drive.

You must be grinning now that diesel has come down…….
You will actually be getting a little bit of money back on it now
Simon

Actually it costs the same as the petrol Passat.
I do lots of country kilometers. This was the most economical yet comfortable way to do it. Overtaking on country highways is a breeze!
I did like the fact it had low emissions but it wasn’t a major factor in the purchase.
Andrew M

No premium for the diesel???

Mad not to go for it!!!!

Sammy

A good day for the local car industry, the biggest loser out of all this will be the Aurion as the hybrid’s extra performance over the regular camry will make the Aurion a much tougher sell.
Frosty (back in Australia)

I wonder why they did not follow the sheetmetal changes on it they have done in Thailand where the Camry Hybrid has been for months if not a year. Maybe because that would expose Toyota’s Aurium Lie. In my opinion the Thai one looks better than the Australian bland looking one. Just looks like a everyday 4cyl Camry with nothing but a badge distinquishing it from the regular model. Maybe the panel between the headlights is new but what else is new. The taillights seem straight off a MY10 4cyl Camry. The one in Thailand looks different albeit minorly different (because of course we dont expect sheetmetal changes) but surely someone who is going to drive a Hybrid wants to be noticed driving the Eco cars. Maybe thats why you don’t see many Hybrid Civic’s on the road infact the only one of them I have seen is the 2 we have at work which are company cars.
Camry lover

The Thai Camry hybrid is the Toyota Aurion (more conservative, appeals to Thai buyer more than our USA Camry). Toyota would have been better off making an Aurion Hybrid IMO.

Frosty (back in Australia)

Camry lover, the Thai Camry Hybrid is a Camry and not a Aurium. Its is badged a Camry as are all the Camry models there including the V6. So what that means is that the Aurium is apart from the motor identical to the Camry and is known as the Camry everywhere else. Toyota could have continued calling it the Camry V6 or camry Viente (or whatever its name was) instead of calling it something without the Camry name attached and trying to market it as a different class calling it a Commodore/Falcon sized car instead of a Mazda 6, Honda Accord sized car. Yes Thailand has a Camry that looks the same front and rear to the Australian 4cyl Camry but they also have the Camry (every time I write the name I almost write canary because of the similarity in how the names look) that looks identical to our Aurium with Camry badges. Basically we have a American Camry looks on a Australian made Camry. By the looks of things i would say that Australia doesn’t do the body pressing of the panels for all the markets and Toyota like most companies would not have more than maybe 2 countries supply parts for their cars especially at the wages Australian workers command. I believe the Australian Camry’s exterior at least in brought to Australia in CKD (completely knocked down) form and reassembled here on the production line. The Commodores and Falcon do not share their panels with other countries and as such would press their panels here giving more Australians Jobs. I could pretty much guarantee that the motor in the Hybrid is the same worldwide also so was this motor assembled bit by bit in Australia?
What bit of the Camry is unique to Australia and as such suits Australians taste which not always suits other countries markets.

Simon

“Emitting over 35% less than its six-cylinder competitors……”
doesn’t say much for the existing 4 cylinder Camry’s emissions! And I also wonder which 6 cylinder competitors they refer to…..
This is all a big Toyota beat-up. By necessity of course. After the Government pumped millions of our tax dollars into this they needed to show something for it.

http://www.caradvice.com.au Paul Maric

Simon:

It is a strange statement, considering there are no six-cylinder petrol Camry competitors in the Medium Passenger segment aside from the Volkswagen Passat V6, Volkswagen Passat R36 and Volkswagen Passat CC…and I’d barely call the latter two competitors to the four-cylinder Camry.

It’s marketing hype unfortunately. As can be shown with the diesel emission figures, it’s smoke and mirrors.
J

I thought the same thing – it doesn’t compete with a 6 cylinder if producing 140kW of power (Aurion/Falcon/Commodore all around 200kw plus or minus). Might have the peak torque of a six, but to produce power you need to burn fuel and it will take more fuel to produce 200kw (Aurion spec) than to produce 140kW.

Out of interest, are there cars with non-hybrid engines that produce 140kW that can do 6l/100km ? I wouldn’t have thought this would be all that hard by today’s standards? Probably mute point, because to burn 6l/100km you aren’t using 140kW – probably cruising using 20kW or something close…

MJ

How about a Corolla Hybrid? :-p
Gary

Corolla hybrid is being made in UK mid 2010. Hope it comes to OZ. They would sell heaps, depending on price of course.
Marcoz

The Honourable Kevin Rudd, MY ARRRSE HE IS…..smug arrogant little turdddd…

Martin

Seriously could not agree more!

The Real Car Fanatic

When I heard he was Prime Minister I almost stayed in the UK, but Gordon Brown is worse, so I decided to face the lesser of two evils and return home.

Frosty (back in Australia)

Kevin Rudd has done more for Australia and the Australian people in 1 year than little Johnnie Coward oops Howard (who sent my brother to war and can tell you the real reason for it) did for Australia in his 11 years as PM. All Howard did more of was lying eg Tampa, The Iraq war and many other lies. Don’t bring politics into this car forum otherwise I could blow you away with things the Liberals did which were far than good for the Country. His reputation in many, many countries is not one to be proud of. Rudd has actually saved Australia from quite a few things that would have happenened if not for his decisions. Our reputation is actually improving overseas now. Stick to cars as your political comments dont match up with most Aussies.

Get a grip

Blow us away then big guy – lots of individuals have posted about their disappointment with KRudd’s Labor party. It is relevant to this story because it’s our tax payer dollars that are funding this Toyota cash grab.
It’s a democracy – you have your 2 cents worth just like everyone else. Don’t think you can dictate what other people can or cannot say. If that’s your thinking then go back to your communist hole.
SteveH

You have to be kidding don’t you Frosty? In one year he has managed to dump as all in so much debt that our kids and grand kids are going to be still paying it off. Won’t be too long now before the unions start throwing their weight around and we will be left with the usual wrecked economy that labour governments tend to leave us with.
fxh555

Get a grip – didn’t the Howard goverment also provide subsidies to the auto industry, and the Keating government before that, and the Hawke government as well? Rudd’s doing what every other government is doing worldwide and pouring money into the economy – right or wrong, it’s what’s happening globally. Suggesting Frosty’s a communist as he has a different view to you is unfair and unjust.

BTW, haven’t really noticed a previous posting from you in the past – welcome to CA.
Get a grip

“Don’t think you can dictate what other people can or cannot say. If that’s your thinking then go back to your communist hole.”

It was never suggested he is a communist because he differs to my opinion. On the contrary; I am suggesting that if he thinks he can stop other peoples opinions then he is a communist.

As to following his predecessors, does that make KRudd putting over a billion tax-payer dollars into the auto-industry right?
My “opinion” is no. If the Aussie car industry needs tax dollars to prop it up then it is not viable and should go. This country would do better with leverage under the free trade agreement in our agricultural, mining, education sectors. Our tax dollars would be better spent paying our way out of debt. When Ansett failed, you didn’t see the Howard government propping it up with our money . They were hypocritical to support the auto industry. The same mindset of KRudd is shortsighted. It’s cutting off one’s nose in spite of one’s face.

Shak

Isnt it sort of a smarter idea to make a Hybrid version of the bigger car so you can show its enviro cred. Then again Toyota have
Andrew M

Emitts 35% less than its 6cyl competitors?????

This vehicles this competes with are 4cyl cars.

As far as saving dollars, this wont do that either
Ron Flat

A polished turd is still a turd…

Simon

Have more respect for our Prime Minister.
Oh.. the car…… yes, sorry!

Realcars

Have more respect for this if it were LPG and plug in as well. How hard can it be?

PB

I agree, LPG and possibly CNG is the way forward from here IMO. Petrol and Diesel will become very expensive within the next few years. Awesome technology in those hybrids though, electric motors have excellent power and efficiency, it’s supplying the power to them that is the problem (at this stage).

Realcars

Cheap LPG for domestic consumption(my taxes paid for this Camry) instead of selling it all to the Chinese for 10 cents a litre!
Fiesta ECOnetic

Fiesta ECOnetic ?
Global Green Challenge ?
The Fiesta’s CO2 emissions rated 84.47g/km,The Fiesta averaged 3.1L/100km
With a driveaway price of only $24,990
Add 40% to both for real world driving and it is still better

Devil’s Advocate

Nice comparing of cars from two completely different size classes there ECOnetic. You would hope that a COMPACT car would have better fuel economy etc than a medium/large car. A more fair comparison of the hybrid Camry would be to compare it to the diesel Mondeo/Mazda6/Passat etc etc.

Martin

Bring on the Cerato LPI hybrid!
i no more than u

why did we pay for this they alredy make it overseas i bet they will import it whole and say it was built in australia or they will import it without the stering wheel or something
dont toyota have a accelerator problem to bad that didnt happen when k dudd was driving and kill him australia would be better off lol
any way he should of given the money to holden or ford to make a hybrid commodore or falcon:-(
k dudd fund australia not japan coz thats where the money gos

Devil’s Advocate

You are kidding aren’t you? Where do you think all the money for the non Falcon/Commodore Ford/Holdens sold goes to? It certainly doesn’t stay in Australia that is for sure. It either goes to Asia, the US or Europe. Don’t forget that a normal 4cyl Camry has more Australian made content than an SS Commodore. Yep, a percentage of the money from every V8 Commodore sold goes over to America to pay for the crated engine etc. So what, either way ALL 3 of the local companies still support thousands of Australian families regardless of which brand it is and where every skerrick of money goes to. Toyota are no more or less Australian than Holden or Ford. Just like Ford and Holden they also employ thousands of Australians so why not support them? They have been building cars here since the early 60s and have one of the largest dealer networks in the country, once again, supporting Aussie families just like Ford and Holden do.

Seriously, some people need to grow shorter arms or wear gloves to prevent gravel rash from their knuckles dragging on ground. TVFPIC. It is good to be passionate about your favorite brand etc, but not so much that it makes you so blind/naive that you can’t even see what is in front of your own face. Just like in Elizabeth or Broadmeadows, try telling the thousands of workers at Toyota’s Altona plant etc that the cars they build aren’t Australian…

Please note, I am not saying that I support the amount of money given to Toyota for this project, I am merely saying that they are no more or less entitled to Australian Government support/funding than Ford or Holden.

i no more than u

im trying to say that at least the car was desined in australia and the camary is all imported sheat metal. commodore/falcon made in australia=more money stays in aust. camary built in australia=moer money gone from aust.
get the point?!!!

Devil’s Advocate

Not really, because not all of the parts for the Falcon and Commodore are made in Australia either (transmissions, engines (V8s), electronics, accessories etc etc), just like the Camry/Aurion. So are you saying that the sheet metal that the Camry/Aurion is stamped out of here in Australia is not Australian metal, yet the sheet metal for the Commodore/Falcon is?? I wouldn’t be surprised if you find that they all use the same sheet metal supplier, like they do with many other components. Money is leaving Australia with every Camry/Aurion/Falcon/Commodore sold if you want to get down to the “nitty gritty” of it. Why can’t you just be happy that we have 3 overseas manufacturers (NOT 2) in GM/Ford/Toyota that have factories in Australia and build some of the best value for money large cars around and support thousands of Australian families?

On a side note I remember an article in one of the papers/auto publications that when the VE was released, it had the LOWEST amount of Australian manufactured content out of all the cars in built in Australia (in the mid 60% range IIRC), including the Mitsubishi 380 which was still being built at that time! So looking at it with your simple method, that meant that more of the money made from the Commodore went overseas than all the others to pay for these components. However we all know it is not as simple as that. The Camry is not like some of the old Lasers etc that were just assembled from “knocked down” kits, the Camry/Aurion are built from the ground up here JUST LIKE the Commodore and Falcon. (IIRC the body presses in the Holden factory come from Japan, not to mention they enlisted help from the Japanese to improve their bumper fit etc) In the end why should it matter? Sure, the Camry is based off an overseas model, but it still has had extensive local engineering/development carried out here in Australia by local engineers. Not to mention Australian engineers are also used for development etc of some of Toyotas non-Australian built models too. Just like Holden are being used for engineering for overseas built cars like the Camaro etc. You must have a very short/seletive memory because up until the VE, the Commodore itself was just a locally modified European Opel, not that there was anything wrong with that…

Robin Graves

What a joke and a waste of tax dollars. Obviously KRudd is as dumb and narrow minded as idiots who think modern diesels with a particulate filter emit cancer causing particles and are more dangerous than a petrol. NiMH batteries have to be mined and produced somewhere, but as long as its not nextdoor to the self-loving psuedo-greenies then who cares? Out of sight out of mind.
Watto

Australian “assembled” not “made”.

Bavarian Missile

Good point, Watto !
Devil’s Advocate

Which is no different to some of the components of the Commodore and Falcon as well Watto. Yes, the drivtrain from the hybrid is fully imported, but the body etc is still stamped in Australia. How is that any different to an SS Commodore for example? The engine/transmission for that comes fully assembled out of a crate from overseas too… If you say the hybrid Camry is Australian “assembled” and not “made” because of the imported drivetrain, then you are also implying that the SS Commodore is only Australian “assembled” as well… Don’t forget that early in the VE Commodore’s life (not sure now as I haven’t seen any recent figures) it had the LEAST amount of Australian Made content out of all the local cars, making it the least ‘Australian made’ car ‘assembled’ in Australia.

At the end of the day, who really cares? We have 3 Foreign car companies employing thousands of Australians by “buliding/assmebling” cars in this country. Now you can’t complain about that…

http://tesla MK

The greenest car by far you can by today is any second hand car, ‘earth to earth’ principal. But no government or manufacturer will ever tell you that.
i no more than u

if anyone can prove diesel can cause cancer shoot me now gee its only a thery anyway cancer can be in the body for years it needs 1 broken cell so its ur bodys falt if u get cancer coz remember we are all going to die some day so u need something to die from sorry to all the people who got/had cancer just trying to prove a point

Andrew M

I dont believe anything like Diesel, sun or even cigarettes cause cancer, what I do believe is that the above activities have elements that can trigger the cancer cells.

Diesel isnt as green as petrol and puts out more air pollution
Observer

@ “i no more than u”, mate, wait till you get to grade 3, they’ll tell about those things then, as well as teach you english.

Safety First

The annoying thing to me is quoted in the article
“Toyota Executive Vice President, Yukitoshi Funo said that Australia is the “5th country in the world to produce Camry Hybrid”

So the technology was already there, the vehicle was already being built in RHD & LHD, all the testing had been done, the ADR’s should have been a cinch due to the car already being passed for Australia and the drivetrain being passed for California means it passed Australian Standards…. Question? What the hell did we (the Tax Payer) pay for??? $35mil from KRudd, & $35mil from Brumby… plus a guarantee that Govc will buy (quoted, but I’ve heard a higher figure) 2000 in the first year, with 3000 exported to NZ. Government Subsidy of $10,000 per car in the first year for Australia
Brad

BIGT[tm.FO]?

Translation? Assuming Toyota but the rest means what? I think I know but I don’t believe it =D
Cupid Stunt

It’s not all about fuel savings Frugal Ranter maybe more about the environment, stop and think for a minute my short sighted friend.
Andrew M

But diesels arent greener Cupid….