Toyota Vice Chairman says EVs and Hybrids Both Curb Carbon Emission

Vice chairman of Toyota Corporation recently stated how hybrid cars will play a pivotal role in reducing carbon emissions in regions outside the U.S and Europe.

He said electric vehicles are a good choice for consumers in countries with high income levels and infrastructure designed to support electric charging. However, in other parts of the world such as Africa and Southeast Asia, reducing carbon emissions can be a challenge due to the incompatible infrastructure. Introducing electric cars and making them affordable could take another decade.

Despite other major car companies moving ahead with electric vehicle plans, Toyota Corporation aims to focus on hybrid cars for the immediate future as it believes they will remain an important aspect of the automobile market. Some groups have come forward with criticism against the car manufacturer for not doing more to curb emissions.

The company aims to launch new bZ series EV models by 2025. Toyota Vice Chairman Shigeru Hayakawa said, “In all the roughly 200 countries and territories Toyota operates in , we need to consider how to have people drive cars that are better for the environment than the ones theirs currently using. Compared with EVs, hybrids generally cost less up-front. In that sense, they are a better fir for developing regions.”

If considering the environment, japan could be a better option for hybrids and EVs. However, research has shown that Hybrids do not offer as much carbon emission capabilities as electric vehicles do. Hayakawa further said, “Our stance is that battery electric, plug-in hybrids and regular hybrids are all necessary. We need to discuss what actually the best option for the environment. ”

©Photo: Photographer: Toru Hanai/Bloomberg