Toyota Motor North America held its annual Fleet Executive Meeting at the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort in Austin, Texas, from June 18 to 20. Attending the event were 140 fleet professionals, including representatives from corporate fleets, fleet management companies, dealers, and daily rental companies. During the two-day event, attendees had an opportunity to listen to in-depth product presentations from subject-matter experts on connected technologies and product highlights on Corolla, Highlander, and Prius. Photos by Mike Antich.
Toyota's 2020-MY Fleet Preview
The 2019 Camry is builit on the TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) platform. It is available with three powertrains: a 2.5L four-cylinder and a 3.5L V-6, both of which are paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission; and a Toyota Hybrid System (THS II). A hybrid 2.5L four-cylinder option is also available.
The all-new fourth-generation 2020 Highlander, which debuted last April at the 2019 New York International Auto Show, now offers a hybrid powertrain in FWD and AWD models.The 2020 Highlander is powered by an inline six-cylinder engine, the hybrid model is powered by a 2.5L four-cylinder engine with two electric motors.
Don Fordiani assumed leadership of Toyota’s fleet operations and sales in January 2019. Previously, Fordiani was the group manager for guest experience and fixed operations for Lexus. Fordiani began his career with Toyota Motor Sales in 1989.
Marketing Manager Nick Miller discussed the Prius Prime plug-in hybrid (PHEV), which can now seat five people. Prius Prime has a 640-mile total range, which includes 25 miles of all-electric range at 133 MPGe. Combined fuel economy rating is 54 mpg.
Orest Mirchuk, director of fleet operations at Major World Automotive Group/City World Toyota (standing second from right) was honored by Toyota with its Fleet Excellence Award, which is given annually to its Top Commercial Fleet Sales Volume dealers.
Don Fordiani (far left), group manager, fleet sales for Toyota Motor North America, moderated an open question-and-answer panel discussion with the fleet customers attending the event. The subject-matter expert panelists (L-R) were Equan Tompkins, senior business development analyst - connected technologies; Nick Miller, vehicle marketing manager for Prius; Yash Shah, vehicle marketing analyst for Highlander; and Cole Young, vehicle marketing senior analyst for Corolla.
Hybridization started two decades ago with the debut of the Toyota Prius. The latest model is the Toyota Prius AWD-e, which uses an independent electric, magnet-less rear motor to power the rear wheels from 0 to 6 mph, then when needed, up to 43 mph.
The Sienna offers an AWD option for the SE grade model. Toyota Safety Sense P is standard on all grades with Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist, Automatic High Beams, and Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC).
The 12th-generation Toyota Corolla is all-new from the ground up for the 2020 model-year. Also, the Corolla brand has been expanded in 2020 to include an available hybrid for the first time in the U.S. Earlier, in 2018, an all-new Corolla Hatchback was introduced.
Toyota’s strategy is to manage fleet sales volume to be 10% of total sales, which has helped maintain the brand’s high resale values, according to Don Fordiani, group manager, fleet sales for Toyota. Commercial sales represents 11% of Toyota’s total fleet sales.
Karen Freeman, fleet manager for Siemens CSCH, and Bob Gonke, senior manager, account management for Wheels, Inc., pose for a photo during a ride & drive, which allowed attendees to test drive most models in the Toyota product lineup.
Kimberly Jamme, associate director, North American Fleet Operations at Teva Pharmaceuticals, and John Dmochowsky, global fleet manager for Mondelez International, commemorate their attendance to the Toyota fleet meeting with a keepsake photo.
Equan Tompkins discussed Toyota’s connectivity strategy using an embedded telematics solution to track driver behavior, service compliance, vehicle location, VIN management, and offer event notification.
The Tundra lineup is available in two styles: the four-door Double Cab and the super-sized four-door CrewMax. The two i-Force V-8 engines are the standard 4.6L with 310 hp and the optional 5.7L with 381 hp. Both are equipped with a 6-speed transmission.
Michael Waltrip, Hall of Fame NASCAR driver (L), poses with Mark Oldenburg, sr. manager fleet operations for Toyota Motor North America. Waltrip enthralled attendees with his NASCAR exploits during his speech at the opening night welcome reception.
Cole Young discussed the 2020 Corolla Hybrid LE powered by the four-cylinder 1.8L 2ZR-FXE engine mated to an eCVT that uses an electric motor/generators to continuously maintain the optimal gear ratio.