Fossil Fueled
Toyota is fueling the climate crisis
Toyota is against a transition to battery-electric vehicles.
Toyota is lobbying to weaken vehicle CO2 emission standards.
Toyota is betting on dirty methane-sourced hydrogen and dated hybrid vehicles.
Toyota has phased out efficient cars in favor of gas-guzzlers like SUVs, pickups, and vans.
On electric vehicles, Toyota is stuck in reverse, while its competitors race ahead.
Transportation is the largest source of climate-disrupting pollution in the US. To tackle its massive carbon footprint, we must eliminate all gas-guzzling cars and trucks by fully shifting to battery-electric vehicles.
As the New York Times recently reported, Toyota is globally lobbying against stricter emissions standards and electric vehicle initiatives.
According to the EPA, Toyota lags embarrassingly behind most of its competitors on reducing carbon pollution
Toyota joined the group of automakers that sided with the Trump administration in its attempt to reverse Obama-era Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. Over the past several years, it also tried to undermine emissions standards in the US, Australia and the EU.
Toyota is at odds with the global community. In January 2021, CEO Akio Toyoda criticized Japan’s Prime Minister Suga’s green energy plan¹.
He questioned a rapid transition to electric vehicles, even as other nations commit to an all-electric future.
¹Source: Financial Times, 2021
Urgent recalls needed! Statements by CEO Akio Toyoda shown to be faulty.
Policies that phase in electric vehicles over "gasoline-powered or diesel cars from the very beginning... could also cause Japan to lose its strengths.”
Source: Reuters, 2021
Toyota is set to pay² the largest civil penalty ever levied³ in US history for breaching federal emission-reporting requirements.
In January 2021, the Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency fined the company $180 million.
²Source: The New York Times, 2021
³Source: The New York Times, 2021
Investors are concerned about Toyota’s position.
Five investors, including Norway’s Storebrand Asset Management and the Church of England Pensions Board, with total combined assets of half a trillion dollars, criticized Mr. Toyoda for questioning Japan’s electrification plans.
A corporate watchdog gave Toyota⁴ a “D-” grade, the worst among automakers.
Its report details Toyota’s attempts to influence policy and undermine global climate goals.
⁴Source: InfluenceMap
The battery-electric vehicle transition is essential to stop climate change.
Road vehicles are responsible for three-quarters of transportation emissions. But Toyota’s projected product mix of hydrogen and hybrid vehicles is too little, too late. Its top models, the Prius and Mirai, do not even significantly reduce emissions, compared to conventional vehicles.
“We’re genuinely concerned that Mr. Toyoda does not seem to realize what is at stake here”
CEO of AkademikerPension
multi-billion dollar fund and Toyota shareholder
TOYOTA IN THE NEWS
Toyota has drawn the attention of major news media across the globe. Topics range from the company’s attempts to influence policymakers, controversial statements by its top executives, and legal troubles.
TOYOTA & CLIMATE CHANGE
Numerous NGOs, environmental watchdogs and analysts have published reports on Toyota’s climate-harming actions.
