News article
Rally partnership set to boost Finnish city through development centre
The Finnish city of Jyväskylä, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team (TGR-WRT) and the Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF) have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) on future collaboration and working towards a carbon neutral, sustainable and diversified society.
As per the LOI, each party will identify joint initiatives in the short, medium and long term that will build towards a carbon-neutral, sustainable and diversified society, centred on a new TGR-WRT Development Center in Jyväskylä.
Situated in central Finland, Jyväskylä is the seventh largest city and has a population of 146,000.
TGR-WRT has been based near the city since manufacturer Toyota returned to the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) in 2017.
The Development Center will aim to reduce the CO2 emitted by TGR-WRT’s WRC activities through decarbonising and emissions reduction initiatives developed by Jyväskylä and TMF.
Wooden buildings will also have carbon storage benefits, help to protect forests through bio-diversity enrichment and continuous cover management, as well as private power generation facilities and mobility using hydrogen.
"With the signing of this LOI today, we start working together to plan, develop and realise these goals.”
“This is a great day for our growing city,” said Timo Koivisto, Mayor of Jyväskylä. “For Jyväskylä this partnership opens up new opportunities where the pursuit of sustainable development, a carbon-neutral future and data-driven mobility is concerned. In terms of its size, location and institutions of higher education, its competence base, Jyväskylä is an ideal partner as regards the development of future solutions. We are also genuinely proud of the fact that one of the world’s largest car manufacturers, Toyota, is strengthening its presence in our city.”
Yuichiro Haruna, Chief Executive of TGR-WRT, added: “Jyväskylä has been home to TGR-WRT for the past eight years and a big part of the success we have achieved. In realizing our new TGR-WRT Development Center here in Jyväskylä, we also want to be a good neighbour to the local community. Through the guidance of our Chairman, Akio Toyoda, we began discussion with the City of Jyväskylä and TMF to explore ideas in support of positive community development. With the signing of this LOI today, we start working together to plan, develop and realise these goals.”
Image: TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team