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Toyota stands strong behind Emirates Team New Zealand at America’s Cup
On Saturday afternoon, Barcelona-time, racing proper starts in the 37th America’s Cup when Emirates Team New Zealand faces the challenger, INEOS Britannia, an event that adds to the history and deep connection between Toyota New Zealand and the world-leading sailing team.
Toyota NZ has proudly supported Emirates Team New Zealand for 32 years. From the very first time when Team New Zealand won the America’s Cup in San Diego, when the Toyota logo was on the mainsail with four other Kiwi sponsors, to this Saturday in Spain, Toyota has stood behind the team as a loyal sponsor and supporter. Once again the Toyota logo will feature on the team’s boat, Taihoro, at an America’s Cup.
The heart of the partnership is built around innovation, collaboration, imagination and determination. The strength of the partnership has weathered the ups and downs of the past three decades with historic wins in San Diego, Auckland and Bermuda. And who could forget the defeat to Alinghi in Auckland in 2003 and the heartbreaking one-point loss 10 years later to Oracle Team USA in San Francisco.
Toyota NZ Assistant Vice President Susanne Hardy says the team at Toyota NZ are once again right behind Emirates Team New Zealand and can’t wait to see them enter the starting box on the water on Saturday night, NZ time.
“Emirates Team New Zealand have played an important part in the lives of many New Zealanders for years. Each time the team lifts their sails, the nation’s spirits are lifted along with them. We’ll be super proud of the team and Taihoro when racing starts in Barcelona. I guarantee there will be quite a few late nights and a lot of excited sailing fans across the country over the next two weeks,” Susanne says.
Toyota New Zealand is making this the most accessible America's Cup ever, providing coverage through Warner Bros. Discovery, ThreeNow and Stuff. Toyota’s association with the event covers 132 races across two months to 27th October, the end of the America’s Cup racing.
Over the years the connection between Toyota and Emirates Team New Zealand has grown to become more than a pure sponsorship. Today the two organisations collaborate on technological innovations, such as the use of Toyota hydrogen fuel cells in its chase boats, and on promoting the sport and the America’s Cup to youth of all ages around New Zealand.
As the event is being held in Spain, to build excitement for what is bound to be yet another epic America’s Cup regatta, the America’s Cup itself (known as the Auld Mug) went on a tour of New Zealand in September. The Toyota Kiwi Cup Tour, a partnership between Toyota and the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, visited yacht clubs, schools and Toyota Stores in 40 different locations over 19 days.
“We were thrilled to take the America’s Cup on tour in partnership with the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron. It was a great opportunity for Kiwis to see the Cup in person and be inspired by all that it brings. Innovation and collaboration are at the heart of our partnership with Emirates Team New Zealand, and the Toyota Kiwi Cup Tour harnesses that so well,” Susanne says.
Toyota was also delighted to lend a hand in moving Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei’s kauri Te Kawau waka from its construction site to Tauranga so it could be loaded onto a container ship (full of kiwi fruit) heading to Barcelona.
Toyota NZ supplied a Hilux Hybrid to tow Te Kawau on its trailer and enable the waka kaihoe (paddlers) to be able to conduct extensive training sessions on the Waitemata Harbour prior to going to Spain via the Port of Tauranga.
Te Kawau was first launched in June and then travelled to Barcelona where a crew of 20 kaihoe, selected across three age ranges, rangitahi or teenagers, adults 20-40, and a kaumatua, will take the waka out with Taihoro for each race.
An important technology result of the partnership between Toyota New Zealand and Emirates Team New Zealand has been the development of hydrogen fuel cell powered chase boats. Using only an electric motor powered by the fuel cells, the boats have the speed to keep up with the powerful and fast America’s Cup yachts and, importantly, have zero emissions compared to traditional petrol-powered boats.
The hydrogen-powered boat was a direct outcome of Toyota NZ’s hydrogen strategy to instigate, encourage and enable New Zealand businesses to enter the hydrogen market which is still very much in its infancy in this country.
Since the beginning of the Louis Vuitton Challenger Series, six foiling boats powered by hydrogen with zero emissions have been ‘flying’ at speed around the Barcelona America’s Cup course, supporting racing and event teams.
Starting with the 10-metre Chase Zero, Emirates Team New Zealand’s prototype which was launched in Auckland in 2023, five more 13-metre hydrogen fuel cell boats were built using Toyota technology and local Kiwi engineering expertise from business partner Global Bus Ventures. Emirates Team New Zealand commissioned a second boat and the America’s Cup Event company commissioned two more boats, one an open top.