The JSU Athletics Department has a spiffy new energy saving car thanks to the Toyota Green Initiative.
Painted green (of course!), the Toyota Prius liftback was delivered to JSU as part of the fifth year of the Green Initiative. Jackson State will use the car for the next year as a free leased vehicle.
“We will use the car mainly as a transportation vehicle (for Sports Medicine staff to take student-athletes to doctor appointments, etc.),” said JSU Athletic Media Relations Manager Wesley Peterson.
Jackson State was one of 22 HBCUs to receive the cars as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
The car has “amazing technology,” Peterson said. “I have driven it and it’s a great ride.”
It gets 600 miles to a tank, he said, and switches from gas to electric by itself. This newer model doesn’t require being plugged into an outlet. “It’s self-generating,” he said, so it recharges itself.
“It’s a pretty cool car,” Peterson said.
“The Prius will help promote sustainability efforts to students, alumni and the surrounding community,” said James Colon, Vice President of African-American Business Strategies for Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A.
Accepting the car from Toyota representative Keith Jones were: JSU general counsel Matthew Taylor; Associate Athletics Director/Compliance Jason Cable; and Peterson.
Popular response to the program has been “overwhelming,” said Colon.