Yellowstone Park Foundation Accepts Donation of Four Toyota Prius Hybrid Vehicles

July 21, 2004 -- Livingston, MT -- Environmentally-Responsible Cars will be Used by Park Staff to Help Educate Visitors

Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. announced a new partnership with the Yellowstone Park Foundation and the donation of four Prius hybrid vehicles to the nonprofit Foundation. The donation is in recognition and support of Yellowstone National Park's commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability. The announcement and presentation of the vehicles took place at the Sustainability Fair at Depot Rotary Park in downtown Livingston, Montana.

The Prius hybrid combines a super-efficient gasoline engine with an electric motor and captures energy from braking to charge its batteries, so it never needs to be plugged in. The benefits of this technology are improved fuel efficiency, coupled with lower emission levels. The total value of Toyota's donation was $124,000.

The vehicles will be used throughout Yellowstone National Park by interpretive rangers and other highly visible Park staff. Use of the vehicles will help educate many of Yellowstone's three million annual visitors about hybrid technology and the Park's commitment to explore new and innovative technologies to better protect, manage, and preserve its natural resources.

Toyota representatives presented the vehicles to Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Suzanne Lewis and Yellowstone Park Foundation Executive Director Michael Cary. All four of the donated vehicles were on exhibit at the Fair. In addition, local Prius owners participated in a panel discussion about the benefits of driving a hybrid vehicle.

"Yellowstone National Park strives to foster sustainable practices, and to share the importance of these practices with the visiting public," said Michael Cary. "We at the Yellowstone Park Foundation are delighted to support these goals through our partnership with Toyota."

"Yellowstone is one of our most treasured natural places and Toyota is honored that park rangers will be driving Prius as they educate visitors about preserving the environment for the future." said Michael Rouse, corporate manager for community relations at Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. "Prius is a fitting symbol of both the partnership between Toyota and Yellowstone and our shared commitment to environmental stewardship."

The Sustainability Fair, a free event sponsored by Corporation for the Northern Rockies, was an appropriate venue for the announcement of Toyota's partnership with Yellowstone. The annual fair provides the public with information, workshops, and demonstrations on goods and services that offer choices for more sustainable living.

The mission the Yellowstone Park Foundation is to fund projects and programs that protect, preserve, and enhance Yellowstone National Park. The nonprofit Foundation is based in Bozeman, Montana, and funds projects through the generous support of private individuals, foundations, and corporations. www.ypf.org

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. (TMS) Inc. is the sales, marketing, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and Scion in the United States, marketing products and services through a network of 1,408 Toyota and Lexus dealers in 49 states. Established October 31, 1957, TMS and its subsidiaries are also involved in logistics, motorsports, R&D and general aviation. Toyota is the third-largest vehicle manufacturer in the world and the fourth-largest automaker in the United States. For more information please visit www.toyota.com

To learn more about the National Park Service's sustainability initiatives in Yellowstone and in other national parks, visit www.nature.nps.gov/SustainabilityNews