Akio Toyoda, CEO of Toyota, is against electric vehicles

Photo: Christina Telep / Unsplash

Akio Toyoda, CEO of Toyota, has declared his disagreement with the new proposals of the Japanese government regarding the reduction of emissions , as reported by CleanTechnica . The grandson of the founder of the company, also known as president of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA), believes that initiating the transition towards the complete electrification of the industry in the country, as the government suggests, would be to destroy the Japanese economy. In the words of the businessman: “Japan is a country that depends on exports. Therefore, carbon neutrality equates to an employment issue for Japan. Some politicians are saying that we have to convert all cars to electric vehicles or that the manufacturing industry is outdated, but I don’t think that’s the case. To protect the jobs and lives of the Japanese, I believe it is necessary to align our future with our efforts so far. ”

For Toyoda, this decision – that would follow the efforts of other countries such as the United States – does not conform to his country. In this sense, considers that each nation should make its own decisions regarding emission reduction , but adjusting to their own realities. Already in the past, the businessman had made these types of statements favoring hybrid technology, a field that the company is exploring along with other types of options, beyond electricity, which can also make an important contribution to carbon neutrality Japan wants to reach in 2050.

Another of the Toyota CEO’s arguments has to do specifically with that transition. For him, the move from internal combustion vehicles to electric vehicles would mean a severe blow to workers in the sector , as it would clearly affect jobs. Therefore, hybrid vehicles could be the most suitable way to move from one type of technology to another without affecting the country’s economy and without failing to meet the emission reduction goals that have been set. This strategy, according to Toyoda, would also guarantee jobs because hybrid vehicles also make use of internal combustion.

Despite the fact that Toyota is one of the companies that has best overcome the problems derived from the COVID pandemic – 19, as the shortage of chips, after the first half of the year, its supplies of this material ended up being reduced, forcing the company to also stop its production in a 40% .

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