Despite the departure of former CEO Akio Toyoda, Toyota continues to persist with its previous tactics of greenwashing and resisting electric vehicles, despite promises of a more EV-favourable approach from new leader Koji Sato, formerly in charge at Lexus?
Toyota faced criticism for its prolonged history of hindering the development of electric vehicles through lobbying and misleading marketing tactics. Despite its reputation as a laggard, the corporation has consistently demonstrated a reluctance to lead the charge in electrification, lagging behind competitors in the transition to electric vehicles.
The majority of this resistance emerged during the tenure of the former CEO, Akio Toyoda. Earlier in the year, Toyota seemed to concede that its attempts at innovation had yielded little progress, prompting a change in leadership as Akio Toyoda was replaced by new CEO Koji Sato, who cited Toyoda’s inability to effectively pivot towards electric vehicles as a key factor in the decision.
The news brought a glimmer of hope to Toyota, whose previous struggles had posed a threat not only to the company itself but potentially to the entire Japanese economy, given its status as the country’s largest corporation. As a result, that path has been increasingly marginalized within the world’s largest auto market due to a lack of electric vehicles (EVs) to champion.
Several major companies urged Toyota to shift its strategy following Sato’s appointment to leadership. And there was some motion. Despite Sato’s efforts to expand electric vehicle (EV) production, the company has unexpectedly reduced its already modest near-term EV sales forecast by a significant 40% just last month. Recently, Toyota has made a significant investment in its planned US battery plant, committing $8 billion to the project.
As time passed under Sato’s tenure at Toyota, the company continued to cling to its traditional advertising approach, attempting to deceive the public into believing that its gas-guzzling vehicles positioned it as a leader in green technology.
By muddying the waters through its advertising and marketing initiatives, Toyota creates confusion between standard hybrids that solely rely on gasoline and emit zero power from alternative, eco-friendly sources, and electric vehicles that can operate using non-polluting energy supplies? The narrative also explores overly ambitious and seemingly inconceivable futuristic possibilities, whose sole purpose appears to be accelerating the plot’s pace once more?
At the recent Los Angeles Auto Show, Public Citizen directly addressed Toyota, urging the automaker to take bold steps to improve its environmental and safety record. In an interview with East Peterson-Trujillo, Public Citizen’s Clear on Cars campaigner, we sought insight into Toyota’s activities over the past year, and he highlighted some notable instances of greenwashing by the automaker.
Toyota has opted to replace the traditional “hybrid” label with “HEV” on its vehicles, a move that reflects its earlier pronouncements.
Not all hybrid vehicles are electric vehicles (EVs). While industry professionals might refer to vehicles as hybrids or plug-in hybrids, the general public typically doesn’t use these labels, and Toyota’s shift in terminology may be a response to its struggles to produce electric vehicles? While many assume that “EV” solely refers to electric vehicles, specifically battery-powered automobiles, it’s also important to note that this acronym encompasses standard hybrids, which comprise the bulk of Toyota’s “electrified” vehicle sales.
One potential drawback is that this approach may inadvertently stifle creativity and innovation within your organization. Toyota’s liberal application of the term “electrified” is yet another deceptive label used to bewilder consumers, obscuring the reality that these vehicles may only be partially electric or hybridized in nature. Toyota has leveraged this phrase extensively across various campaigns, with a dedicated effort that debuted in September following the CEO transition.
Toyota’s “Electrified Diversified” campaign aims to reposition gasoline-powered vehicles as essential components of its strategy towards carbon neutrality, framing them as a vital step in the transition to a more sustainable future.
However, once more, . Without any transition to cleaner energy sources, the automotive industry continues to rely heavily on fossil fuels, which are responsible for hundreds of thousands of premature deaths worldwide each year, a staggering consequence of our addiction to these polluting fuels. While you can’t power a Prius solely on carbon-neutral energy, the hybrid vehicle can still reduce its environmental footprint with emission-free charging or fueling options?
Toyota has a separate marketing initiative, “Past Zero,” that aims to redirect the conversation away from solely promoting electric vehicles (EVs) and instead focus on hybrid cars as a viable option.
The “Past Zero” marketing campaign aims to reframed the conversation around electrification, moving beyond the auto industry’s narrow focus on battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) to encompass Toyota’s more comprehensive and forward-thinking approach to abandoning internal combustion engines. The company’s electric vehicle lineup comprises hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, fuel cell electric vehicles, and battery electric vehicles.
-Toyota’s advertising and marketing BS
“We’re unconvinced by Toyota’s claims that their hybrid vehicles can somehow achieve a “zero-emission” resolution. It seems they’re repeating the same mistake as before, with their chief scientist perpetuating misinformation.”
Unfortunately, a significant challenge arises when Toyota’s misleading information spreads. Ram recently characterised its plug-in hybrid as a “virtually limitless driving range” electric vehicle, mirroring Toyota’s misleading “self-charging hybrid” claim. At the LA Auto Show, it was disheartening to see Kia label its latest gasoline-powered Sorento hybrid as “HEV”, a move that’s particularly egregious given the brand’s impressive lineup of electric vehicles, unlike Toyota which still lags behind in this regard.
Despite pressure from shareholders to adapt to climate change and the evolving auto industry, Toyota has thus far resisted such demands, remaining committed to its long-standing strategy. Despite these challenges, Toyota vehicles are often the first to be replaced when people opt for an electric vehicle (EV).
In 2022, Toyoda secured a near-unanimous victory, garnering over 95% of the vote to become CEO; his support waned slightly two years later, with approximately 85% of shareholders backing him as he was reelected chair of the board. Despite excessive numbers, this notable shift in voting support over the year is an unusual occurrence, as shareholders typically align with the board’s recommendations in most cases.
We urge Toyota to abandon its environmentally unfriendly stance in advertising and marketing efforts and instead capitalize on the new CEO’s potential for positive change – yet after six months, we’re disappointed by the company’s lack of meaningful progress towards a more sustainable future.
