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Toyota Decided to Only Sell Zero-Emission Vehicles in Western Europe by 2035

Toyota has announced its decision to only sell zero-emission automobiles in Western Europe by 2035. The announcement came on the same day that the Japanese manufacturer showcased the European version of its first electric vehicle, as well as a concept vehicle that burns hydrogen instead of gasoline.
Toyota bZ4X 32 photos
Photo: Toyota
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For some, it may come as a surprise for Toyota to have shifted its focus towards zero-emission vehicles, especially since we consider their sales of hybrid vehicles. It is worth underlining the fact that this goal is about automobile sales in Western Europe and does not mention and utility vehicles.

It also means that markets outside of Europe will still be able to buy Toyota products that are not zero-emission vehicles past 2035. Furthermore, it is unclear what kind of models we should expect to find in a Toyota showroom in 2035 in Europe and what the difference would be if we looked at a different market.

Toyota did mention that it is ready for a 100-percent reduction of CO2 emissions in vehicles sold in Western Europe, but the brand did not specify where it would set the "boundary" for non-ZEV models after 2035. We cannot help but wonder where Toyota will draw the line between Western Europe and Eastern Europe on this matter.

As you are aware, Europe is composed of numerous countries, and while they all stick to the rules imposed by the European Union, each country has a set of laws and rules.

At the same time, since EU-member countries have adopted common standards, a vehicle that is homologized for use in one country can be sold and driven in another European country without requiring a new process for said homologation.

Previously, Toyota wanted to have at least 10 percent of its sales in Europe represented by zero-emission vehicles. Until 2035, though, Toyota has another goal, which involves at least half of its sales in Western Europe to be zero-emission vehicles by the end of this decade.

We should also point out that Toyota's new objectives align with the European Union's proposed green deal measures from July 2021. Several EU member states have already chosen 2035 as the year they will stop allowing the sale of new combustion-engined passenger cars, but not all states have agreed on  when to stop the sale of vehicles that have a combustion engine under their hood.
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Editor's note: Photo gallery features the Toyota bZ4X for illustration purposes.

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About the author: Sebastian Toma
Sebastian Toma profile photo

Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland.
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