After a Week of Scandal at Toyota, Company Doubles Down on Gas Powered Cars
WASHINGTON, D.C – Following reports that Japanese authorities raided a Toyota factory after the company admitted to cheating on engine testing, Toyota CEO Koji Sato apologized to customers, suppliers, and dealers. The next day, chairman Akio Toyoda reaffirmed plans for a “major engine development project” — a new combustion engine. East Peterson-Trujillo, senior clean vehicles campaigner with Public Citizen’s Climate Program, issued the following statement:
“Around the world, governments are tightening vehicle emissions standards, and Toyota’s response is to either cheat or lobby to roll back sensible safeguards. Instead of producing zero-emission vehicles that consumers want, CEO Sato and Chairman Toyoda are locking the company into projects that will contribute to catastrophic global warming. While other automakers are investing in transitioning to zero-emissions vehicles, Toyota is doubling down on its dinosaur technologies.”
Further reading:
- December 2023: Blurry Lines Between Hybrids and EVs at Toyota Trigger FTC Complaint Alleging Misleading Marking
- January 2023: Toyota CEO to Step Down, Making Space for an Electric Future for Automaker
- November 2022: Toyota Moving Too Slowly on Zero-Emission Vehicles
# # #