54 organizations demand Toyota shift to EVs globally as new CEO steps in
A coalition of 54 consumer and environmental groups from 26 countries have written a letter to Toyota asking that the company phase-out fossil fuels globally by 2035, and in Europe by 2030. The letter is timed to coincide with the start of new CEO Koji Sato’s tenure at the company on April 1.
Toyota occupies a commanding role in global auto manufacturing. It is not only the largest company in Japan by a longshot, but also often the world’s number-one automaker (sometimes swapping this title with VW). As a result, the company’s actions can set the tone for the auto industry.
It also carries the respect of manufacturing companies outside of the auto industry, with its famous “kaizen” production methods. Kaizen’s focus on efficiency has influenced manufacturing worldwide – somewhat to its recent detriment, as just-in-time production proved disastrous during COVID-19 supply chain disruptions.
But under CEO Akio Toyoda, Toyota has lagged significantly on electric cars. The company has taken a long time to bring any EV to market, and its first full EV, the bZ4X, didn’t have the best launch. While those kinks have now been worked out after a lengthy recall, the company still sells EVs in very low volume in a world where EVs are becoming more and more front and center in virtually every automaker’s lineup.
Beyond that, and even worse, Toyota has actively worked against electric cars over the last decade. The company has repeatedly spread EV misinformation, including in advertisements and in Japanese schools. It was named one of the most obstructive entities on Earth regarding climate policy, it refused to join international agreements for EV adoption (even though that agreement’s 2040 goal was weak to begin with), and it has joined with anti-environment forces in trying to stop clean air legislation.
As a leader in Japanese industry, Toyota’s (and the rest of the Japanese auto industry’s) intransigence on EVs has led some to warn that Japan’s economy could decline significantly if it doesn’t shape up.
But all of this happened under Akio Toyoda. And Toyota’s inability – or, perhaps more accurately, lack of desire – to adapt to the EV landscape seems to have been a factor in his stepping down. Toyoda seemed to acknowledge that he was unable to lead the company through the level of change needed to adapt for the future, stating:
To advance change at Toyota, I have reached the decision that it is best for me to support a new president while I become chairman.
The incoming CEO, Koji Sato, was previously brand chief at Lexus, where he led Lexus’s electrification efforts. Toyoda picked Sato for his ability to “promote change in an era in which the future is unpredictable.” He begins his tenure on April 1, and has already stated that he wants to get serious about EVs.
Open letter demands change at Toyota – drop fossils by 2035 globally, 2030 in US/EU
To coincide with the beginning of Sato’s tenure, 54 consumer and environmental groups representing millions of supporters in 26 countries have combined to ask that the new CEO, Mr. Sato, “commit to phase out all internal combustion engine vehicles in the U.S. and Europe by 2030, and globally by 2035.” The groups also demand that Toyota end its “anti-climate lobbying” immediately.
The effort was spearheaded by Public Citizen, a US-based nonprofit consumer advocacy group. Other notable signatories include the Japanese chapters of Greenpeace and the Rainforest Action Network, along with the Center for Biological Diversity, Electric Vehicle Association, GreenLatinos, Coltura, EarthJustice, and the Sierra Club. The letter lists the many other groups involved from around the world.
The letter does not mince words. While it does “ask” Toyota for these commitments, it also points out “decades of harm and deceit caused by Toyota” with respect to electric vehicle adoption, including cheating on emissions tests, which led to a record $180 million fine.
The letter points to research that fossil fuels are responsible for millions of deaths per year, accounting for one in five deaths around the globe. Personal vehicles are a primary contributor to this fossil fuel pollution, which harms human health everywhere.
While Toyota has a plan to increase electrification of its fleet, the company currently says that it plans to sell 3.5 million electric cars in 2030. This is only about a third of the company’s current yearly sales, though a huge increase from the 16,000 vehicles, or .2% of its global sales, from its last fiscal year. By comparison, all-electric competitor Tesla sold 1.3 million EVs last year. Even stodgy old GM targets 40-50% electric sales by 2030.
The letter closes by recognizing incoming CEO Sato’s actions to lead Lexus toward electrification, and recent pledges to lead the industry, but requests several specific commitments:
- phase out internal combustion engine vehicles (including hybrids and plug-in hybrids) in the U.S. and Europe by 2030 and globally by 2035;
- align advocacy and lobbying with the goal of phasing out internal combustion engines, and be a voice for 100% renewable energy economy-wide;
- require 100% renewable energy use throughout your supply chains globally by 2035;
- by 2025, sign a procurement commitment for fossil-free primary steel with a steel producer and additionally commit to source 100% fossil-free steel by 2050;
- require responsible sourcing of your battery minerals, and develop battery design that allows for easy reuse and recycling of minerals;
- establish a clear commitment to Indigenous Peoples’ right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent, which should be extended to your suppliers.
Electrek’s Take
As I’ve said many times with respect to EV timelines: “Why not sooner?” But this time, this letter’s timeline is one I can actually agree with.
While many regions are looking to put requirements in place for full electrification by 2035, I don’t think this is early enough. Several automakers agree, and are planning to go full electric well before 2035. Jaguar, Alfa Romeo, Lotus, Bentley, Cadillac, Mercedes, Mini, Rolls-Royce, and Volvo have all committed to 2030, so it’s not like this timeline is impossible.
Oh, and of course, there’s one more brand with an all-electric 2030 target: Lexus. Which made the announcement while it was being led by none other than the incoming CEO of Toyota, Koji Sato.
All these automakers are smart to be ready for electrification before regulatory requirements come in. Electrification is happening fast, and once critical mass is reached, the shift can happen quickly. Norway was targeting 2025 for an end to gas car sales, but they’re already at close to zero a few years early.
Besides, electrification has taken several companies by surprise already. It takes time to build battery factories, distribution networks, charging networks, train (and convince) car dealers in how to sell EVs, and so on. Companies could have started on these efforts long ago, but many companies are only starting to build battery factories now. This has led companies with less foresight to be more affected by supply constraints. For one example, just this week, Ford CEO Jim Farley said “batteries are the constraint.”
So a faster route to electrification is not just smarter for every living being on Earth, but smarter for the company. Toyota is very late to the game already, and will have to work extremely hard to catch up. But if the new CEO knows what’s good for Toyota as a businessman, and what’s good for humanity as a human, he’ll put in that effort and realign his company to act responsibly, both for the world and for his shareholders.
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Wind energy powered 20% of all electricity consumed in Europe (19% in the EU) in 2024, and the EU has set a goal to grow this share to 34% by 2030 and more than 50% by 2050.
To stay on track, the EU needs to install 30 GW of new wind farms annually, but it only managed 13 GW in 2024 – 11.4 GW onshore and 1.4 GW offshore. This is what’s holding the EU back from achieving its wind growth goals.
Three big problems holding Europe’s wind power back
Europe’s wind power growth is stalling for three key reasons:
Permitting delays. Many governments haven’t implemented the EU’s new permitting rules, making it harder for projects to move forward.
Grid connection bottlenecks. Over 500 GW(!) of potential wind capacity is stuck in grid connection queues.
Slow electrification. Europe’s economy isn’t electrifying fast enough to drive demand for more renewable energy.
Brussels-based trade association WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson summed it up: “The EU must urgently tackle all three problems. More wind means cheaper power, which means increased competitiveness.”
Permitting: Germany sets the standard
Permitting remains a massive roadblock, despite new EU rules aimed at streamlining the process. In fact, the situation worsened in 2024 in many countries. The bright spot? Germany. By embracing the EU’s permitting rules — with measures like binding deadlines and treating wind energy as a public interest priority — Germany approved a record 15 GW of new onshore wind in 2024. That’s seven times more than five years ago.
If other governments follow Germany’s lead, Europe could unlock the full potential of wind energy and bolster energy security.
Grid connections: a growing crisis
Access to the electricity grid is now the biggest obstacle to deploying wind energy. And it’s not just about long queues — Europe’s grid infrastructure isn’t expanding fast enough to keep up with demand. A glaring example is Germany’s 900-megawatt (MW) Borkum Riffgrund 3 offshore wind farm. The turbines are ready to go, but the grid connection won’t be in place until 2026.
This issue isn’t isolated. Governments need to accelerate grid expansion if they’re serious about meeting renewable energy targets.
Electrification: falling behind
Wind energy’s growth is also tied to how quickly Europe electrifies its economy. Right now, electricity accounts for just 23% of the EU’s total energy consumption. That needs to jump to 61% by 2050 to align with climate goals. However, electrification efforts in key sectors like transportation, heating, and industry are moving too slowly.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has tasked Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen with crafting an Electrification Action Plan. That can’t come soon enough.
More wind farms awarded, but challenges persist
On a positive note, governments across Europe awarded a record 37 GW of new wind capacity (29 GW in the EU) in 2024. But without faster permitting, better grid connections, and increased electrification, these awards won’t translate into the clean energy-producing wind farms Europe desperately needs.
Investments and corporate interest
Investments in wind energy totaled €31 billion in 2024, financing 19 GW of new capacity. While onshore wind investments remained strong at €24 billion, offshore wind funding saw a dip. Final investment decisions for offshore projects remain challenging due to slow permitting and grid delays.
Corporate consumers continue to show strong interest in wind energy. Half of all electricity contracted under Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) in 2024 was wind. Dedicated wind PPAs were 4 GW out of a total of 12 GW of renewable PPAs.
Read more: Renewables could meet almost half of global electricity demand by 2030 – IEA
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In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss the official unveiling of the new Tesla Model Y, Mazda 6e, Aptera solar car production-intent, and more.
The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.
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The Chinese EV leader is launching a new flagship electric sedan. BYD’s new Han L EV leaked in China on Friday, revealing a potential Tesla Model S Plaid challenger.
What we know about the BYD Han L EV so far
We knew it was coming soon after BYD teased the Han L on social media a few days ago. Now, we are learning more about what to expect.
BYD’s new electric sedan appeared in China’s latest Ministry of Industry and Information Tech (MIIT) filing, a catalog of new vehicles that will soon be sold.
The filing revealed four versions, including two EV and two PHEV models. The Han L EV will be available in single- and dual-motor configurations. With a peak power of 580 kW (777 hp), the single-motor model packs more power than expected.
BYD’s dual-motor Han L gains an additional 230 kW (308 hp) front-mounted motor. As CnEVPost pointed out, the vehicle’s back has a “2.7S” badge, which suggests a 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) sprint time of just 2.7 seconds.
To put that into perspective, the Tesla Model S Plaid can accelerate from 0 to 100 km in 2.1 seconds. In China, the Model S Plaid starts at RBM 814,900, or over $110,000. Speaking of Tesla, the EV leader just unveiled its highly anticipated Model Y “Juniper” refresh in China on Thursday. It starts at RMB 263,500 ($36,000).
BYD already sells the Han EV in China, starting at around RMB 200,000. However, the single front motor, with a peak power of 180 kW, is much less potent than the “L” model. The Han EV can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.9 seconds.
At 5,050 mm long, 1,960 mm wide, and 1,505 mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,970 mm, BYD’s new Han L is roughly the size of the Model Y (4,970 mm long, 1,964 mm wide, 1,445 mm tall, wheelbase of 2,960 mm).
Other than that it will use a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) pack from BYD’s FinDreams unit, no other battery specs were revealed. Check back soon for the full rundown.
Source: CnEVPost, China MIIT
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