UMW Toyota Motor certainly made its presence felt at the 4th International Greentech and Eco Products & Exhibition and Conference Malaysia (IGEM 2013), which concluded last weekend at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. With one of the biggest booths at the exhibition, the carmaker even drew the attention of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak during his visit to the exhibition, which was spearheaded by the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water, Malaysia.
However, the buzz had little to do with the size of the booth, but rather what lay inside. At the exhibition, which ran from 10 to 13 October and themed “Advancing Green Growth and Global Entrepreneurship”, UMW Toyota Motor displayed the much talked about Toyota Camry Hybrid and the Toyota Concept Plug-In Hybrid NS4 – making IGEM 2013 the two models’ public debut on Malaysian soil.
Indeed, UMW Toyota Motor is no stranger to the exhibition, having participated in earlier instalments of the showcase, which has been touted as the region’s largest green technology and eco products exhibition which has gained momentum in promoting Malaysia as a green energy hub.
According to UMW Toyota Motor President, Datuk Ismet Suki, “Our decision to continue our participation in IGEM 2013 was not a difficult one. We have always been at the forefront of green technology in the automotive industry. As such, it comes naturally to be part of a platform such as IGEM, which provides industry players with the opportunity to showcase innovative and creative development in the green technology arena.
He added that visitors to the UMW Toyota booth, including the Prime Minister, took well to both the Camry Hybrid and the NS4 Plug-In Hybrid Concept models showcased. He elaborated that UMW Toyota Motor planned to offer the Camry Hybrid as a Completely Knocked Down (CKD) model to the Malaysian market, which will allow for competitive pricing of the hybrid in this country. The Toyota Camry Hybrid is a 2.5L Full Hybrid vehicle, powered by Toyota’s renowned Hybrid Synergy Drive system.
The showcase of the NS4 Plug-in Hybrid at the exhibition, on the other hand, represented Toyota’s leverage on its research and development to portray what eco-friendly vehicles would be like in the not too distant future. Among its many features, the NS4 boasts advance technology and a forward-looking design that connects technology with people, and subsequently, people with society at large. Toyota’s Plug-In technology is the synergistic infusion between hybrid and electric vehicles.
“True to our Moving Forward tagline, we have had a strong heritage in developing the right technology in our pursuit towards promoting efficient and sustainable living for Malaysians, both today and in the future,” added Datuk Ismet Suki.
Members of the public who wish to catch a sneak preview of the Toyota Camry Hybrid and NS4 Plug-In Hybrid will have the opportunity to do so at the upcoming Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show (KLIMS) which will be held from 15 to 24 November at the Putra World Trade Centre.
