Six automakers (Ford GM Mercedes, Volvos, BYD, Jaguar Land Rover, Jaguar Land Rover, GM and Mercedes) have committed to eliminating internal combustion engines by 2040. One major automaker not on that list, though, was Toyota, and there’s a reason why.
Toyota believes that for certain areas of the world, zero-emissions aka electric vehicles just don’t make sense, at least not yet. They’re not saying that a full zero-emissions future by 2040 is out of the question, just that they would rather be more careful than blindly commit to a future that might not be feasible.
Read More: White House Wants U.S. Automakers To Commit To Making 40% Of Their Lineup Electric By 2030
See Also: Volvo Signs Glasgow Declaration To Reduce Carbon Footprint, Announces Internal Carbon Pricing Scheme
A Toyota spokesperson told Reuters: “We are ready to accelerate and help support with appropriate zero-emission vehicles. However, in many areas of the world such as Asia, Africa, Middle East… an environment suitable for promoting full zero emission transport has not yet been established. We think it will take more time to make progress…; thus, it is difficult for us to commit to the joint statement at this stage.”
Toyota is the biggest automaker worldwide, but it has been very resistant to efforts towards vehicle sustainability. In fact, Toyota was named as the third-most obstructive company in climate change mitigation after Chevron, ExxonMobil, and Chevron. Coincidentally, though, Volkswagen also took a similarly abstinent stance from the 2040 zero-emissions commitment, so it’s possible that the strategy the world’s two biggest automakers are adopting could be the right one.
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