Toyota continues to break new ground

Toyota’s hybrid fleet business continues to gather momentum, reports Iain Robertson, with East Midlands-based DHU Health Care having placed an order for eight RAV4 self-charging hybrid petrol-electric SUVs to serve its customers’ needs.

As a non-profit business (Community Interest Company), DHU Health Care supplies vital medical and care services to more than five million people across the East Midlands. Its new RAV4 hybrids will replace a range of conventionally powered SUVs used by its teams of doctors, palliative home care teams, district nurses and other care providers, all of whom have been looking forward to the new driving experiences provided by the RAV4.



The Toyota RAV4 meets all the company’s fleet priorities, not least in using an electrified powertrain that delivers lower exhaust emissions and significantly enhanced fuel economy, together with competitive all-round running costs. The car also provides the estate car levels of interior flexibility, comfort and load space necessary to carry a wide range of medical equipment and supplies.



All-wheel drive was another prime requirement, to ensure that DHU Health Care is able to reach people in remote locations, regardless of weather conditions. The latest version of Toyota’s RAV4 is equipped with a development of Toyota’s AWD-i electric all-wheel drive transmission, which is both lighter and more fuel-efficient than a mechanical 4x4 drivetrain, although it provides secure handling and dependable performance on the rough and slippery surfaces that DHU’s drivers encounter in some of the outlying parts of their territory.



A DHU Health Care spokesperson stated: “We wanted to future-proof our fleet with a vehicle that has a strong environmental profile, yet also has the strength and reliability we need to be sure of getting to our customers, around the clock, 365 days a year. After an initial test of the RAV4 we were very impressed with its all-round performance, it is the ideal vehicle for our fleet.

The vehicles were supplied through Inchcape Toyota in Derby, with funding supported through Toyota Financial Services. Stuart Ferma, General Manager, Toyota and Lexus Fleet, highlighted: “This is a significant vote of confidence in RAV4 as an on-the-money all-round fleet proposition. It has all the built-in quality, durability and reliability that vital service providers like DHU Health Care demand, while at the same time it gives an assured level of fuel and emissions efficiency that many of its competitors cannot match.”



We are strong fans of the RAV4 and appreciate its impressive range of strengths. As a world leader in hybrid technology, Toyota has been able to ally its reputation for unburstable reliability into its environmentally sound models, of which RAV4 is but one key example. DHU’s drivers will benefit from the RAV4’s commanding and comfortable driving position, while the angular styling provides a useful base for the reflective applique set that makes each one of them memorable on the road.

MSG Summary

We support Toyota’s reach into the emergency transport sector and fully extol the fleet benefits that arise from not just Toyota’s indefatigable reputation but also the eco-benefits arising from the use of hybrid technology.

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