Environmental Leader

Toyota has promised two more hybrid models, which will mark the company’s venture into Lithium-Ion technology, PCMag reports.

Toyota’s head of R&D Masatami Takimoto said the new hybrid will be “a totally new car,” larger and will likely get a Li-ion pack in 2010.

Additionally, a production version of Toyota’s iQ micro- or city-car is expected to be available later this year.

Toyota announced research and development, manufacturing and social initiatives as part of its plan to contribute to a low-carbon society, fuelcelltoday reports.

Among other things, Toyota says it aims to help achieve sustainable mobility by using hybrid technology to reduce oil consumption and promote the adaptation of vehicles to alternative energy sources; reduce vehicle size and weight; and complete a transition to a new series of highly efficient engines and transmissions.

Toyota also plans to introduce the E85-compatible flexible-fuel Tundra and Sequoia in North America this year, and a plug-in hybrid vehicle equipped with a lithium-ion battery, geared toward fleet customers in Japan, the United States and Europe.

In other Toyota news, the UK’s Environmental Transport Association named the Toyota Yaris “Green Car of the Year 2008.” The ETA developed its annual Green Car Buyer’s Guide after reviewing more than 1300 vehicles on sale in the UK. Research for the guide focused on power, emissions, fuel efficiency and even noise levels of the vehicles, eastier motoring reports.

Additionally, three Toyota models were in the ETA’s top ten with the Prius (3rd), Aygo (6th) and Auris (9th) being identified as some of the greenest vehicles available in the UK.

The Toyota RAV4 was named as the greenest vehicle in the Off Road category and the Toyota Aygo was top in the City category.

See a full list of winners and losers here.