Khiroya family from Calgary, Alberta wins Smarter Driver Challenge

Driving techniques to maximize fuel efficiency demonstrated in new 2012 Toyota Camry

 

Toronto, Ontario—Shell Canada Limited and Canadian Geographic announce the Khiroya family of Calgary, Alberta, got behind the wheel of a new 2012 Toyota Camry and won the Smarter Driver Challenge held in Toronto, the second of two “mini‑challenges” held as part of the three-month Energy Diet Challenge. The overall competition is designed to engage Canadians to use energy and water more efficiently in their homes and to make smarter mobility and transportation choices.

 

"I reduced the amount of fuel I used by applying simple driving tips provided by fuel efficiency experts John and Helen Taylor that every Canadian can apply to their driving," said Ajay, driver of the 2012 Toyota Camry from the Khiroya family that won the Smarter Driver Challenge. "I was able to reduce the amount of fuel I used by more than 32 per cent from my first drive by accelerating smoothly and giving more distance that allowed me to better anticipate traffic."

 

This past Saturday at Evergreen Brick Works in Toronto, the six families from across Canada worked with John and Helen Taylor, who have been recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s most fuel efficient couple, to learn smarter driving techniques. Between them the Taylors hold 89 world records, 43 of which are related to fuel economy.

 

As part of a demonstration with one of the Taylors behind the wheel and the other alongside in the passenger seat, the couple gave the drivers tips and educated them on how to apply simple techniques to improve fuel economy. Then the contestants competed to see which could achieve the best results driving a new 2012 Toyota Camry.

 

“It’s fitting that the 2012 Camry is the car for this competition because it is a fuel efficiency leader,” said Warren Orton, Director at Toyota Canada Inc., who noted the vehicle leads the competition with fuel efficiency numbers of 8.2L/100 km in the city, 5.6L/100 km on the highway, and 7L/100 km combined. “Canadian customers have valued the Toyota Camry for nearly three decades and the 2012 model is the best Camry we’ve ever made. It builds on Toyota’s leadership in quality, safety and sustainability, offering drivers a more attractive and class-above design and a more innovative driving experience.“

 

The Camry offers three powertrain choices, 4-cylinder, V6 and hybrid, all of which have been enhanced for 2012, to provide more responsive performance and the best fuel efficiency among their competitors. The cars used in the challenge have 2.5-litre, four-cylinder engines that deliver 178 horsepower and 170 lb.-ft. of peak torque. The engines employ Dual VVT-I (Dual Variable Valve Timing-intelligent), which controls valve timing on both the intake and exhaust camshafts for the best-possible performance and efficiency at all engine speeds.

 

Shell attached a device to each of the Camry’s onboard diagnostic computers to measure driver performance in fuel consumption and four other key performance areas related to fuel efficiency: idling, engine over‑revving, harsh acceleration and harsh braking. The competitors were evaluated on fuel consumption, key performance results, and on how accurately they answered related skill-testing questions.

 

Canadians can view all six families’ progress in the Energy Diet Challenge and vote once per day for their favourite household at energydiet.canadiangeographic.ca. The site also features tools for users to track their own energy, water and transportation use. The overall Challenge runs until December 4 with the winning family announced shortly thereafter.

 

Rankings at the end of the Smarter Driver Challenge:

 

First place: Khiroya family (Calgary, AB), driver Ajay Khiroya 
Second place: Belbin family (Nanaimo, BC), driver Grant Belbin
Third place: Kitchen-Kuiack family (Whitehorse, YT), driver Simone Kitchen and Gagnon-Morneaus (Varennes, Que), driver Bryan Morneau (tie)

Fourth place: Doyle-Beggs family (Saint-Bruno, Que), driver Kimberley Doyle and Mawbys (Osgoode, Ont.) driver Russ Mawby (tie) 

 

 

Toyota Canada Inc.

Toyota Canada Inc. (TCI) is the exclusive Canadian distributor of Toyota, Lexus and Scion cars, SUVs and trucks. Toyota is the first full-line manufacturer to make all of the elements of the Star Safety System standard on every 2011 vehicle. The Star Safety System includes Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Traction Control (TRAC), Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA) and Smart Stop Technology (SST). TCI’s head office is in Toronto, with regional offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Halifax and parts distribution centres in Toronto and Vancouver.

 

Canadian Geographic

The Royal Canadian Geographical Society is dedicated to imparting a broader knowledge and deeper appreciation of Canada — its people and places, its natural and cultural heritage and its environmental, social and economic challenges. The Society’s mission is to make Canada better known to Canadians and its goal is to make Canadians more geographically-literate. The principal mechanism of its public education role is Canadian Geographic magazine. For more than 80 years, Canadian Geographic has been telling stories, explaining issues and making the country more accessible through words, pictures and maps.
 

Royal Dutch Shell plc

Royal Dutch Shell plc is incorporated in England and Wales, has its headquarters in The Hague and is listed on the London, Amsterdam, and New York stock exchanges. Shell companies have operations in more than 90 countries and territories with businesses including oil and gas exploration and production; production and marketing of liquefied natural gas and gas to liquids; manufacturing, marketing and shipping of oil products and chemicals and renewable energy projects. For further information, visit www.shell.com.

 

Shell Canada Ltd
Shell has been operating in Canada since 1911 and employs approximately 8,000 people across the country. A leading manufacturer, distributor and marketer of refined petroleum products, Shell produces natural gas, natural gas liquids and bitumen, and is Canada’s largest producer of sulphur. Shell is one of Canada’s oil sands developers and operates the Athabasca Oil Sands Project on behalf of the joint venture partners.