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Toyota Plans to Become Virtually Carbon Dioxide-Free by 2050

Automakers say a lot of weird things, but when the brand occupying the second position in worldwide sales rankings (with strong chances of regaining the main title soon) says something as radical as this, it must be serious.
Toyota Mirai 1 photo
Photo: Toyota
Either that, or Toyota knows the end of the world is coming by then so it can say anything it wants. But we’re sticking with the first option.

After all, if there’s a major brand that has proven time and time again it’s serious about the eco business, then Toyota has got to be it. It made the hybrid car popular, it jumped on the fuel cell bandwagon with the Mirai, and the EV models are coming soon too. But the most important thing is that it’s been very consistent.

Now, Toyota has come out with a plan that will see all of its cars using internal combustion engines being phased out before the year 2050. The plan also targets factories and the manufacturing process, aiming to achieve zero carbon dioxide emissions at all of Toyota’s plants by the same time.

But it’s not as easy as it sounds, even though, frankly, it doesn’t even sound that simple.

"Without support from all quarters, it will not be possible," said Senior Managing Officer Kiyotaka Ise. Does this sound like Toyota is readying a scapegoat from the start, in case it all goes south? Not really, since their worries are entirely justified.

The plan is to cut average CO2 emissions by no less than 90 percent by 2050, compared to the company’s 2010 levels. It will achieve this by switching to hydrogen fuel cell-powered cars, EVs and gasoline-electric hybrids. The company also plans to develop and use more low-carbon materials, reduce the amount of raw materials used, reduce the number of components used, recycle more materials, and design future products for easier recycling.

"We are confident we can achieve this," Ise said. "We have gone through a lot of calculations to get these figures."

Their calculations will have to include the company’s suppliers as well, as Toyota doesn’t want to simply move CO2 emissions from their own factories to those of third-party collaborators.

"We will be creating supplier green guidelines for carbon dioxide reduction and coexistence with nature," Managing Officer Tatsuro Takami said. "The entire group is going to come together for this kickoff."

Toyota took a pretty big time margin for this one, but then again, it is a pretty big commitment too. If anything, other carmakers should take notice and come up with similar solutions.

"Toyota is such a huge organization, they have to have a flag to show the way they are going. ... But the difference is Toyota almost always delivers," said Tatsuo Yoshida, an auto analyst at Barclays Securities Japan quoted by Auto News.
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About the author: Vlad Mitrache
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"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie)
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