Greener cars for Almada

ALMADA CÂMARA has taken a pioneering step in acquiring five Toyota hybrid synergy drive (HSD) vehicles, renewing its staff car fleet while promoting the use of alternative fuels. The five new revolutionary Toyota Prius cars will be the new work vehicles for the Câmara’s councillors. These cars are part of the measures developed within the council’s current environmental plan. The HSD system means that the vehicle has two separate power sources, an electric motor and a petrol-run engine. The silent, emissions-free electric motor is ideal for driving in town and can be enhanced by added power from the petrol engine on open roads. This intelligent system, therefore, offers fuel economy as well as environmental benefits. The council launched a public tender that was won by Toyota for presenting “the best technology, guaranteeing that the Prius would ensure an 85 per cent reduction in gas emissions into the atmosphere”. The new vehicles will replace the councillors’ old cars, which were at least 10 years old and with more than 100,000km on the clock.