Greenpeace urges Toyota to accelerate EV shift by 2030

A call to action echoed in front of Toyota Motor Corporation’s headquarters on June 14, a demand from the environmental activists at Greenpeace Japan. As the company’s shareholders gathered for a pivotal meeting inside, the protestors outside presented a clear directive: “Transition from gasoline vehicles to Electric Vehicles (EVs) by 2030.”

Newly appointed President, Koji Sato, was their intended audience, as they appealed for an accelerated commitment to EV technology. But their protest was not confined to the street – they also carried their message into the meeting, attending as shareholders themselves.

“The world is at a turning point,” said Daniel Reed, Greenpeace Japan’s Climate Change and Energy Representative. “The EV market is blossoming at a breathless pace, and Toyota, despite its laudable efforts in innovative technologies such as all-solid-state batteries, is not capitalizing on this crucial juncture. Their contribution to shareholder profits and global environmental health is, at present, not up to par.”

He highlighted the necessity of a swift transition to EVs in the larger picture of the planet’s health, stating the need to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees. “Despite the global sale of 7.3 million EVs in the past year, Toyota’s contribution to these numbers was a paltry 24,000 vehicles,” Reed noted.

He conceded that Toyota’s comprehensive strategy might sound robust in theory, but stressed that the company’s portfolio of vehicles does not align with the target of a “highly decarbonized road sector” put forth in May’s G7 leaders’ declaration. “Hybrid vehicles and E-fuels don’t make the cut,” Reed stated.

This sentiment was shared by the shareholders and financial institutions demanding more transparency from Toyota regarding its climate change lobbying activities worldwide – a demand Greenpeace fervently supports.

“The journey towards a carbon-neutral future is a rocky one,” Reed conceded. “But one thing is clear – to secure both their survival as a business and to contribute to the health of our planet, phasing out the sale of internal combustion engine vehicles, hybrids included, by 2030 is an essential step Toyota must take.”