WATCH: Toyota US launches ‘Clean Assist’ carbon-free charging program

With almost every carmaker jumping on the EV and hybrid bandwagon, we’re getting closer to a cleaner means of mobility more than ever. But is that enough?

While most electrified offerings from automakers begin to offer reduced emissions, the power source where they take the energy from typically comes from non-renewable sources like coal, nuclear power plants, and gas turbines.

That’s why Toyota has launched the “Clean Assist” program. You can check out the video here.

This initiative aims to provide customers with the means to use renewable energy sources to charge their vehicles and reduce their carbon footprint in general.

Some of the sustainable energy sources cited by Toyota include solar farms, wind converters, hydroelectric turbines, and bio-waste generators.

Eligible owners of the Prius Prime or RAV4 Prime in California can offset their vehicle charging with 100 percent renewable energy using the Toyota App.

The app then tracks the amount of electricity used during charging. Through the app, customers can also see the amount of CO2 they have avoided through the Clean Assist program.

Using the data collected by the app, Toyota generates or buys an equivalent amount of California-sourced Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), an EPA-recognized program that records the generation and usage of green energy.

Relevant information will be sent to the California Air Resources Board (CARB), thereby ensuring that all Toyota PHEV charging activity is matched with zero-carbon electricity.

No matter where customers decide to recharge their vehicles, the energy used will be matched by 100 percent renewable power.

Toyota has chosen to voluntarily participate in the CARB Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), a program that aims to reduce California transportation GHG emissions.

In the Philippines, Toyota has laid out initiatives to help educate Filipinos about the benefits of using hybrids. So, seeing similar schemes and strategies from the government to help reduce the country’s CO2 emissions might not be far from happening.

Toyota’s local hybrid offerings include the Prius, Prius C, Corolla Altis (hybrid), and Corolla Cross.

Photo from Toyota

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