Toyota Celebrates Earth Day New York 2013 with Free Hybrid Parking, Green Vehicle Runway Show

NEW YORK, April 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., is celebrating Earth Day with a series of activities honoring New Yorkers committed to the environment this Sunday, April 21, including offering free valet parking for its hybrid owners and sponsoring Earth Day New York 2013 (EDNY).

These initiatives come on the heels of Toyota's Tuesday announcement that its industry-leading sales of five million hybrid vehicles worldwide have resulted in approximately 34 million fewer tons of CO₂ emissions than those emitted by gasoline-powered vehicles. Many environmental experts believe CO₂ emissions are a major cause of climate change occurring in the world today.

In a show of gratitude, the company will offer free valet parking on April 21, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. to the first 190 Toyota or Lexus hybrid drivers who post and present a picture of their hybrid using the hashtag #ToyotaEarthDay2013. By simply showing their post to the valet parking attendant at either parking location, they will secure themselves a free parking spot while supplies last. The Toyota Hybrid Appreciation Valet Stations will be located near Union Square at the corner of 14^th Street, between 5^th and 6^th Streets, and in front of the Time Warner Center at 10 Columbus Circle.

Additionally, as the official automotive sponsor of Earth Day New York 2013, Toyota will showcase its entire family of seven hybrid-electric cars in a large-scale celebration beginning the morning of April 21. The cars, along with other alternative-fueled vehicles including some from the New York City Police Department and an electric DeLorean, will drive a huge "E" on the streets of Manhattan to comprise the EDNY CO2 E Drive. They will arrive in Union Square in time for a Green Vehicle Runway Show beginning at 11 a.m. Select cars will remain in Union Square on display for the remainder of the day. The automotive celebration is one of a series of free, informative and fun events organized by EDNY that will encourage New Yorkers to tell their own stories and be part of the solution. 

"We at Toyota are inspired everyday by our customers around the world and here in New York who have made a real commitment to environmental conservation," said Steve Haag, assistant general manager of Toyota's New York Region. "We are grateful to them for helping us evolve the first Prius into a modern family of vehicles, and for embracing a wide range of additional Toyota and Lexus hybrid models."

About Toyota
Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. is the marketing, sales, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and Scion.  Established in 1957, TMS markets products and services through a network of more than 1,500 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealers which sold more than 2 million vehicles in 2012.  Toyota directly employs over 31,000 people in the United States and its investment here is currently valued at more than $19.5 billion.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyota.com, www.lexus.com, www.scion.com or www.toyotanewsroom.com.

CONTACT: Tim Black, [email protected]

SOURCE Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.