# Summer Rayne Oakes Prius c: Affordable Green Driving

- Link: https://greenlivingguy.com/2012/04/summer-rayne-oakes-prius-c-affordable-green-driving/
- Published: 2012-04-22T20:45:17-04:00
- Author: greenlivingguy

## The Summer Rayne Oakes Prius c: A Sustainable Match

Let’s talk and celebrate my friend [Summer Rayne Oakes Prius c](http://www.summerrayne.net).
When Toyota launched the Prius c, it wasn’t just about delivering a new hybrid—it
was about redefining urban eco-driving. Smaller and more affordable than the traditional
Prius, the Prius c aimed to bring hybrid technology to a wider audience.

Enter Summer Rayne Oakes [in mind](https://greenlivingguy.com/2010/03/summer-rayne-oakes-a-conversation-on-sustainability/).
As a model in [Vanity Fair](https://web.archive.org/web/20130406085840/http://eco-chick.com/2007/04/782/eco-chick-summer-rayne-oakes-in-vanity-fair/),
[entrepreneur](https://greenlivingguy.com/2010/03/summer-rayne-oakes-a-conversation-on-sustainability/),
and environmental scientist, she embodies sustainable living in a way that’s authentic
and approachable. Toyota partnered with Summer Rayne to showcase how the Prius c
fits seamlessly into a green lifestyle, especially for city dwellers.

> ![Summer rayne oakes prius c celebration](https://i0.wp.com/greenlivingguy.com/
> wp-content/uploads/2012/04/image3.jpg?resize=584%2C262&quality=52&ssl=1 "image-
> The Green Living Guy")

### Affordable, Efficient, and Urban-Ready

The Prius c stood out with a lower price point, making hybrid technology more accessible.
It offered an impressive estimated 53 mpg in the city, demonstrating that driving
sustainably didn’t have to mean sacrificing style or convenience. Its compact design
was perfect for navigating crowded urban streets and squeezing into tight parking
spaces.

For [Summer Rayne Oakes](https://greenlivingguy.com/2006/04/vanity-fair-green-issue-gives-fifty-ways-to-save-the-planet/),
whose career has been dedicated to promoting sustainable practices, the Prius c 
was a natural fit. She used the car to highlight practical ways young professionals
could reduce their environmental impact without compromising on mobility.

### Storytelling Sustainability

Toyota’s collaboration with Summer Rayne for the [Prius c wasn’t just about selling](https://greenlivingguy.com/2014/02/prius-sells-like-hotcakes-in-california/)
a car. That’s because it was about telling a story. It showed how small lifestyle
choices add up, from choosing eco-friendly materials at home to driving a vehicle
with lower emissions. By putting a real person with real green credentials behind
the wheel, Toyota brought credibility to its message.

Summer Rayne didn’t just pose with the car. She used it, lived with it, and talked
about it in a way that resonated with audiences who might have seen hybrids as either
too expensive or too out-of-reach.

### A Vision for Green Urban Living

Ultimately, the Prius c represented a shift in thinking about urban transportation.
It was designed for people who cared about the environment but also needed something
practical, affordable, and stylish.

Summer Rayne Oakes’ involvement helped show that living sustainably isn’t just for
environmental activists or celebrities—it’s for anyone who wants to make smarter
choices in their everyday lives.

Sources:

 * [Toyota Prius c Official Overview](https://www.toyota.com/priusc/)
 * [Summer Rayne Oakes – Official Website](https://www.summerrayneoakes.com/)

### Also in a Tango too

There was an Earth Day edition of and they did the best of peeps for Earth Day and
she was posed with an electric car called the Tango in the magazine. We did it. 
Well she did it really but we are all friends and I’ve hired her for a shoot back
in the day. We even co-hosted a party where of all things I brought an electric 
bike in NYC. They thought I was on crack. Now look in China town an what people 
there are driving.

### As Summer put it best on Eco Chick about the Tango event was:

_I took a [week long excursion out to California](http://summerrayneoakes.blogspot.com/2007/02/souls-retreat-to-california.html)
and part of the excitement involved a test drive with this little car. Holy $hit
man, does this Tango go fast!_

![author avatar](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/df91669667126e1290c21ee0342c386e2da19d588d4d9ca6560bd82ed59a9641?
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 greenlivingguy

 The Green Living Guy, Seth Leitman is an independent power producer, a green living
expert, and Editor of the McGraw-Hill, TAB Green Guru Guides. Seth is also an Author,
Radio Host, Reporter, Writer and an Environmental Consultant on green living. The
Green Living Guy writes about green living, green lighting, the green guru guides
and more. Seth's books range from: # Build Your Own Electric Vehicle by Bob Brant
and Seth Leitman (2nd and 3rd editions) # Build Your Own Plug-in Hybrid Electric
Vehicle by Seth Leitman # Build Your Own Electric Motorcycle by Carl Vogel # Green
Lighting by Seth Leitman, Brian Clark Howard and Bill Brinsky # Solar Power For 
Your Home by David Findley # Renewable Energies For Your Home by Russel Gehrke #
Do-it-Yourself Home Energy Audits by David Findley # Build Your Own Small Wind Power
System by Brian Clark Howard and Kevin Shea # and more green living books to follow.

 [See Full Bio](https://greenlivingguy.com/author/greenlivingguy/) [  ](https://greenlivingguy.com/author/greenlivingguy/)