Toyota Prius demand set to hot up at Hoval

A leading supplier of renewable-energy heating products is encouraging its drivers to choose Toyota Prius hybrid cars to help reflect the environmentally friendly nature of its business.

Hoval Ltd has been impressed by the four Prius 1.5-litre cars it has been running in recent years as part of its 30-strong, multi-badge, user-chooser fleet. The Toyotas are driven by regional sales engineers.

Now Hoval’s vehicle-leasing company, JCT 600, has been asked to supply demo versions of the latest-generation 1.8-litre Toyota Prius.

“As our drivers become more energy-conscious, we want to persuade more and more of them to go with Prius, because this approach supports our own range of renewable-energy products,” says David Hemington, Hoval’s Finance Director.

Biomass and condensing boilers, solar equipment and heat pumps are among the products manufactured by the Newark-based company, which traces its origins back to the 19th century.

Hoval boilers are installed at many high-profile sites, including Buckingham Palace and the Emirates and Millennium Stadiums.

“I don’t get any feedback from our existing Prius drivers – which is good, because that means they’re happy and have no problems with performance, maintenance or anything else!” says David Hemington. The cars average 25,000 miles a year, on three- or four-year contract-hire agreements.

“Our sales staff can take customers in the Prius without embarrassment, because its green credentials match our own,” adds Mr Hemington.

“Hoval is encouraging its drivers to focus increasingly on the environmental and tax advantages of cars that are good to drive but have low CO2 emissions ratings and fuel consumption,” says Rob Kellock, National Sales Manager of JCT 600, which runs its own Green Fleet consultancy service.

“Toyota Prius is an ideal fleet choice for any company that needs to be – and to be seen to be – environmentally aware.”

The new-generation Toyota Prius is pictured outside the state-of-the-art Hoval Training Centre, which is part of CORE, the Centre of Renewable Energy, at East Drayton in Nottinghamshire.