NEW YORK CITY – Toshiba America Medical Systems, the medical products subsidiary of Toshiba Corp., announced a new initiative aimed at making its operations more “green,” according to the Web site www.tmcnet.com. The company is replacing its entire fleet of vehicles with hybrid cars, a process it expects will take three years.

The company chose the Toyota Camry Hybrid to replace its current fleet, at a rate of one-third the total fleet each year. For 2007, the first set of hybrids is set to arrive in mid to late November. These vehicles will be used by the company’s service and sales managers and account executives.

Larry Dentice, senior vice president and general manager at Toshiba America Medical Systems, said the company is taking seriously its responsibility to tread lighter on the environment, reported www.tmcnet.com.

“Toshiba’s move to hybrid cars reflects the company’s deep commitment to reducing its carbon footprint, including the reduction of CO2 emissions,” Dentice said in a statement.

By replacing its fleet with hybrid cars, Toshiba expects to reduce CO2 emissions from the vehicles by 25,000 pounds and also save between $3,000 and $4,000 in fuel during the lifecycle of each vehicle.

Toshiba has a global goal of reducing its energy-originated CO2 emissions by 25 percent, and to reduce its non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions by 35 percent, between now and 2010.