Enhanced Hilux hits the spot
The war for supremacy in the ute market is still being waged by market leaders Toyota and Ford, with the Hilux and Ranger.
Over the ditch in Australia, Toyota utes and trucks are the workhorses of the country’s economy.
With an eye to reducing emissions, as we move into the future, Toyota Australia has converted a venerable Landcruiser 70 Series single-cab ute to an electric drive line. This will be trialled at a BHP Nickel West mine site in Western Australia.
The conversion, carried out by Toyota Australia’s product planning and development division in Port Melbourne, sees the LC 70 equipped for underground use, where it will operate under full battery power.
Toyota Australia’s president and chief executive Matthew Callachor says the trial is another step in the Japanese manufacturer’s move towards a zero carbon emissions future.
“BHP and Toyota have demonstrated a strong relationship throughout the last 20 years and this project is a testament to how we can work together in our respective industries to change the future,” Callachor said.
Edgar Basto, president, of Minerals Australia, BHP, says the partnership is another step in the mining giant’s ongoing studies into how the company can reduce the emissions intensity of its light-vehicle fleet.
“Reducing our reliance on diesel at our operations will help achieve our medium-term target of reducing operational emissions by 30% by 2030,” he said.
Meanwhile, looking at the broader Australian picture, Toyota has almost doubled its sales of hybrid vehicles in Australia during 2020. This saw a record of 54,335 hybrids sold, representing 26.5% of Toyota’s total sales. This was double 2019’s sales of 27,846 units.
The RAV hybrid was the star for Toyota and Australia’s best-selling hybrid for 2020.
On the commercial front, the Toyota Hilux (45,176 sales) was the country’s most popular commercial vehicle for the 23rd year straight and Australia’s best-selling vehicle for the fifth year in a row.
New Zealand's TBfree programme has made great progress in reducing the impact of the disease on livestock herds, but there’s still a long way to go, according to Beef+Lamb NZ.
With much of the North Island experiencing drought this summer and climate change projected to bring drier and hotter conditions, securing New Zealand’s freshwater resilience is vital, according to state-owned GNS Science.
OPINION: Otago farmer and NZ First MP Mark Patterson is humble about the role that he’s played in mandating government agencies to use wool wherever possible in new and refurbished buildings.
For Wonky Box co-founder Angus Simms, the decision to open the service to those in rural areas is a personal one.
The golden age of orcharding in West Auckland was recently celebrated at the launch of a book which tells the story of its rise, then retreat in the face of industry change and urban expansion.
Everyone from experienced veterinarians and young professionals to the Wormwise programme and outstanding clinics have been recognised in this year’s New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA) awards. As part of a series looking at this year’s rural winners, Leo Argent talked with Ginny Dodunski, winner of the Veterinary Impact Award for raising the profile of the Wormwise programme.
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