Doing what other EV makers won't do to green our cities - Seberang Perai shortlisted for Toyota Mobility Foundation's USD 9 mil prize to improve residents' quality of life

Penang’s Seberang Perai has been shortlisted to join the Toyota Mobility Foundation’s (TMF) USD 9 million innovation challenge to establish a truly low-carbon city with an inclusive ‘Mobility For All’ green public transport network.

Seberang Perai will be competing with 9 other cities shortlisted, including Bengaluru, India; Detroit, United States; Fortaleza, Brazil, Medellín, Colombia; Mexico City, Mexico, New Orleans, United States; Varanasi, India; Venice, Italy; and York, United Kingdom.

Three winning cities will be selected by February 2024 to host City Challenges in 2024-25. At this stage, TMF will provide up to USD 3 million for innovators to address local mobility issues – such as the lack of last-mile / first-mile connections between homes and transport hubs, or unreliable bus services for example = through a City Challenge.

Shortlisted cities will also enjoy hands-on guidance by TMF, Challenge Works, and World Resources Institute.

Included in the USD 3 million fund is a USD 100,000 stipend to support city participation in the Challenge and build staff capacity (where possible and in line with local laws and regulations).

The cities will compete to solve mobility challenges along three themes – Overcoming Mobility Barriers (how accessible is public transport to local residents), Strengthening Mobility Systems (how reliable are the services), Advancing Low Carbon Mobility (how green are the solutions).

The winning innovations will be identified between mid-2024 to mid-2025. There may be multiple winners sharing the prize money of up to USD 9 million to deploy their proposed innovations.

The goal for Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF) is very simple – to allow everyone – young and old, able-bodied and wheelchair-dependent, to move freely; not being stuck in traffic jams; lead a productive life in a clean, sustainable environment. In short, TMF wants to move people, not cars.

On the surface, such aspirations might appear to be in contradiction with that of Toyota, the car maker. But this is also what makes TMF’s goal so genuine. There is no future for a car maker if people no longer enjoy driving their cars, or no longer equate cars with freedom of movement. Incorporating public transport into Toyota's business makes sense for the company's long-term interest.

With nearly every other car manufacturer manipulating the green agenda to lobby for more tax breaks, Toyota stands out as the only car company who genuinely understands what green cities need – less cars, and more multi-modal mobility options, accessible to everyone regardless of their income level or physical state (Mobility For All).

Specific to Seberang Perai, TMF noted that the city has historical significance worth preserving, but its close proximity to industrial zones and its role as a very critical logistics hub, relying on heavy trucks, is affecting the quality of life of residents – chronic traffic congestion, poor air quality.

Regarding the city’s shortlisting, TMF said, “Evidence points to a settlement in Seberang Perai since the Neolithic era. Today, industrial parks consume large amounts of energy and produce high levels of emissions, creating health risks for nearby communities. As the Batu Kawan Industrial Park in Seberang Perai expands, the city aims to work with local businesses and industry to reduce the carbon footprint and environmental impact of freight.”