Toyota Ends Plans to Build Next-Generation Lexus EV
WASHINGTON, D.C — Just days ahead of its June 17 annual shareholder meeting, the first under the company’s new CEO Kenta Kon, Toyota is killing the Lexus LF-ZC, its next-generation electric vehicle. The LF-ZC, short for Lexus Future Zero-emission Catalyst, was part of Lexus’ commitment to sell one million EVs by 2030 and to go fully electric by 2035, a goal it is nowhere close to achieving. Globally, EVs make up about 25% of all new vehicles sold, a roughly 20% year-over-year increase. Meanwhile, fewer than 2% of Toyota’s sales last year were EVs. In response, Adam Zuckerman, senior clean vehicles campaigner with Public Citizen’s Climate Program, issued the following statement:
“The war with Iran is pushing gas prices to a near record high, and the price isn’t going to drop anytime soon. Toyota’s decision not to produce this new EV is dumbfounding, putting the company even further behind in a race it’s already losing. Doubling down on obsolete, dirty technology is no way to ensure Toyota’s future success. If this is indicative of Kenta Kon’s tenure as CEO, we’d better hold onto our seatbelts.”
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