Toyota Boss: EVs Are Dirtier Than You Think

KatadataOTO – The stance of the Toyota boss, who continues to be cautious in the development of electric cars or EVs, persists, calling them dirtier than ICE technology. 

Akio Toyoda, Chairman of the board of Toyota, still stands by his cautious approach to EV development. Unlike other car manufacturers, especially from China, who are racing towards full electrification, he has Toyota holding back on expanding its EV lineup while relying on hybrid technology and upgrading fossil fuel engines, also known as ICE (Internal Combustion Engine). 

As we all know, this is not new rhetoric from Toyoda. Last year, he made headlines for stating that even in the long term, fully electric vehicles will only account for 30 percent of global sales. He also warned that a sudden shift to an EV-only future could jeopardize 5.5 million jobs in Japan.

"When the term carbon neutrality became popular, we said that as a company, the enemy is carbon. We must focus on what Toyota can do immediately to reduce carbon dioxide. That is the basis of our decision. It has not changed and will not change," Toyoda recently explained to Automotive News. 

Photo : CarNewsChina

Toyoda himself explained that in Toyota's history, the company has sold 27 million hybrid cars. And this has the same pollution impact as 9 million electric cars. 

"Imagine if we made 9 million BEVs in Japan, it would actually increase carbon emissions, not reduce them. That's because Japan relies on thermal power plants for electricity (using coal, oil, natural gas, including nuclear)," said Toyoda. 

In this statement, he did not present any data. However, it is clear that Toyoda is suggesting that EVs are not the right solution to reduce exhaust emissions. 

In other words, the environmental impact of EV production and the power generation for charging has its own complexities in emissions calculations. Moreover, the current infrastructure is uneven across many regions, which is why hybrid technology cars are still the most viable.

The grandson of Toyota's founder continues to hold a firm commitment to a multi-energy or multi-pathway strategy, not solely focusing on battery-based electric cars. They continue to offer consumers choices in hybrid (HEV), Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) cars, as well as low-emission ICE engines with technologies like Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI), Variable Valve Timing-intelligent (VVT-i), Dual VVT-i, and others.  

"We must consider all options and work in all directions. As a company, we have been very consistent in saying that what we are fighting against is carbon dioxide," Toyoda emphasized. 

Photo : Reuters

So for him, it's not about betting on one winner, but rather about keeping all options open. This is believed to be a win-win for all parties: manufacturers, consumers, and environmental sustainability.

Lastly, as previously reported, Toyota's own EV development continues. For instance, the recent Toyota bZ3X is a result of a collaboration with the Chinese manufacturer Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC). Reportedly, pre-orders there have reached 10,000 units, and it is priced at 104,800 yuan or about Rp 239.2 million.