In response to comments reported in the media today attributed to Toyota Australia’s sales chief, Sean Hanley, Greenpeace Australia Pacific campaigner Joe Rafalowicz said:

“The world is moving rapidly to more efficient vehicles, with targets in place in New Zealand, the EU and the US. The claim that the Australian Government’s proposed limits on car pollution are ‘moving too fast’ is the self-interested whining of a car company which has only just unveiled a fully electric vehicle for sale in this country. Toyota are losing the race to electric vehicles and instead of accelerating, they want to slash everyone else’s tyres along the way. 

“The threat from Toyota executives that they will ‘pass on any price increases to consumers’ instead of trading credits shows absolute contempt for Australians doing it tough in a cost of living crisis. 

“Refusing to trade credits would mean effectively doubling the cost of going over the pollution limit, a decision seemingly made out of spite rather than good business sense.

“In the US, Toyota has not only met all of the pollution limits in place but have surplus credits – so why does the U.S. get efficient vehicles, but Australians are not good enough for them?

“Toyota’s strategy around the world has been exactly the same when it comes to rules limiting car pollution: delay, delay, delay. 

“Australians are right to be skeptical of a company which just last month was raided by Japanese police following allegations that they were cheating emissions tests.”

Additional information

Toyota’s comments follow a damning report released yesterday from the U.S.-based Public Citizen, alleging the company greenwashes and misconstrues data in its latest report on climate policies globally.

Greenpeace’s ‘Toyota Files: The dirty secret behind Australia’s most trusted carmaker’ report steps out the car importer’s history of anti-climate lobbying in Australia and across the globe.

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For more information or to arrange an interview please contact Lisa Wills on 0456 206 021 and/or lwills@greenpeace.org

In response to Toyota executive Sean Hanley’s comments at the launch of the new Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid SUV, Greenpeace Australia Pacific senior campaigner Lindsay Soutar said:

“Toyota clearly just doesn’t get it. 

The world has moved on from polluting hybrid vehicles, and the fact that Toyota is still expecting a gold star for a small number of hybrid sales over 25 years points to exactly how far behind the company really is.

For Toyota to fall back on hybrids to claim it’s doing its bit to tackle climate change is just not good enough, and only illustrates the problem with this company. The world needs zero-emissions vehicles now, and it’s time for Toyota to step up.

Toyota’s been selling and promoting hybrid cars for 20 years, but transport emissions are still rising. Petrol-burning hybrids are no longer the best technology either for cutting emissions or for reducing the cost of transport for consumers.

We’re happy to make Toyota a certificate for its good work 20 years ago when the only option was hybrids, but if it wants kudos in 2022 it will have to actually get on with making zero-emissions vehicles.”

Notes:

A recent Greenpeace East Asia report ranked Toyota at the back of the pack globally when it comes to environmental credentials, and a Greenpeace Australia Pacific report exposed Toyota’s track record of lobbying against measures to reduce climate pollution from vehicles, greenwashing and advocacy for fossil-fuelled hybrid vehicle technology.

Read Under The Hood: The Truth About Toyota

Read the Automotive Environment Guide 2022 

The ranking has been released alongside a new Greenpeace Australia Pacific report, which exposes Toyota’s track record of lobbying against measures to reduce climate pollution from vehicles, greenwashing and advocacy for fossil-fuelled hybrid vehicle technology.

• Toyota has been ranked dead last for the second year in a row by Greenpeace East Asia’s Auto Environment Guide for its lobbying against climate action, refusal to embrace electric vehicles, and continued advocacy for highly polluting hybrids, with 499 out of every 500 Toyota vehicles sold powered by fossil fuels
• Toyota has also been found to be the 3rd most influential negative climate lobbyist globally, after Exxon Mobil and Chevron, with an international track record of lobbying against the introduction of vehicle pollution standards, and actively working to slow the uptake of electric vehicles.
• The Australian Federal Government is currently considering the introduction of fuel efficiency standards regulating climate pollution from cars, which would ensure wider choice of more efficient and zero emissions vehicles for Australian consumers. Greenpeace Australia Pacific holds there is a strong risk Toyota will use its established tactics to distract, weaken, and delay effective legislation in Australia.

Greenpeace Australia Pacific Campaigner Violette Snow said many Australians would be shocked to learn that one of the country’s most trusted car makers has worked to extend the use of polluting fossil fuel vehicle technology. 

“Toyota is Australia’s largest and most trusted car maker, but its international track record of aggressive global lobbying against measures to lower climate pollution from transport has seen it ranked in the world’s top three most influential fossil fuel lobbyists, alongside Exxon Mobil and Chevron,” she said.

“Toyota is a global roadblock to electric vehicles, lobbying to weaken fuel efficiency standards, greenwashing its image and promoting electric vehicle disinformation while making big profits from polluting internal combustion engine and fossil-fuelled hybrid cars. 

“Australia is at a crossroads in its electric vehicle transition, as the Albanese Government considers the introduction of fuel efficiency standards. Greenpeace Australia Pacific believes, based on our research into Toyota’s international track record of lobbying against regulation of vehicle climate pollution, that there is a strong risk Toyota will work to weaken and slow Australia’s transition to cleaner, safer electric vehicles.

“The International Energy Agency says to get to net zero by 2050, all new cars must be electric by 2035. If Toyota and the petrol car industry don’t support this timeline, how do they think Australia can meet our climate goals?”

The global automotive report found that global sales of electric vehicles doubled in 2021.  However, for industry laggard Toyota, sales of zero-emission vehicles made up a meagre 0.2% of total sales.

Fiona Collins, retired, Sydney said:

“It’s incredibly disappointing that an innovative car company like Toyota which Australians like us have always turned to and trusted is holding back climate action by actively blocking the move to electric vehicles.

“We’ve owned several Toyota cars over the years, including a Corolla, Yaris, and Camry, so we were shocked to find the company placed last in Greenpeace’s green car rankings.

“We are deeply concerned about the future of our environment – for us, our kids, and hopefully one day our future grandkids so we want car companies like Toyota, backed by the Australian government, to embrace electric and get on with it.”

Greenpeace is calling on Toyota and other car makers to get behind strong fuel efficiency standards in line with other major markets and to speed up their transition to electric vehicles.

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Notes

Read Under The Hood: The Truth About Toyota

Read the Automotive Environment Guide 2022