“The 2006 City of Göteborg International Environment Prize, one million Swedish crowns, is jointly awarded to Takeshi Uchiyamada at Toyota Motor Corporation, Takehisa Yaegashi at Toyota Technical Development Corporation and Yuichi Fujii at Panasonic EV Energy. They receive the price for their outstanding, purposeful and critical contributions to the development of Prius, the world’s first commercial hybrid automobile, of which so far half a million have been sold.

The three engineers have been part of a project team supported by Toyota’s highest management, which under the leadership of Eiji Toyoda, Shoichro Toyoda and Hiroshi Okuda as early as 1993 bravely committed to develop and manufacture a car for the future, halving fuel consumption and with far lower emission levels than at the time were considered feasible.

The hybrid technology may lead to a dramatic improvement of the air quality in cities around the world and, in a longer perspective, to reduce the impact of motor traffic on global climate change. The technology is built on a unique and very effective combination of electric and internal combustion engines. Prius has already set an example for other hybrid-based car, bus and truck models on the current market as well as in vehicles under development. The hybrid technology also constitutes an important link to tomorrow’s so-called plug-in hybrids, electric cars and fuel cell cars.

This year’s award fulfils the Jury’s criteria remarkably well; the criteria of more effective utilisation of resources, of a technical breakthrough and being a process driver in the world, especially in Göteborg. The city is a pioneer with its environmental car project, which has consequencially led to the largest number of hybrid cars per city citizen in Europe. Göteborg is becoming an European centre for research in, and the production of, hybrid cars.”

Vice president Takeshi Uchiyamada led the project successfully and created the organisational reform needed for the development of Prius.

Dr. Takehisa Yaegashi made important contributions to the harmonious combination of the electric and internal combustion engines, which made substantial emission reductions possible.

Dr. Yuichi Fujii was responsible for the electric drive system and the development of a battery that fulfils the specific requirements of a hybrid car.