Sustainable Motability

As one of the world’s leading car manufacturers, we take our responsibility to help protect the environment seriously. We are creating vehicles which have as little impact as possible on the natural world around us. It is important to us to find cleaner, sustainable ways of making vehicles and disposing of them when they reach the end of their useful life.

We have spent decades researching how we can make vehicles that are kinder to the environment, producing technologies such as hybrid that have already proved their value in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and helping us move towards a lower carbon society. We are still on that journey and we want to reduce our vehicle CO2 emissions by 90% by 2050, compared to the level we were at in 2010.

We plan to reach that ambition with an intensive programme of producing electrified cars. Globally, we aim to put more than 5.5 million on the road every year, and by 2030 our ambition is for at least one million of those to be zero tailpipe emission vehicles.

It is not just about reducing CO2, however, we share the concerns of governments and consumers around the world about the importance of air quality and continue to invest in finding ways of reducing vehicle emissions that directly impact on people’s health, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulates (PM) within our 360-degree view of design and technology innovation.
We have announced ambitious plans to reduce CO2 emissions from vehicles in operation (tank-to-wheel) by 90% by 2050.

The right car, in the right place, at the right time

Around the world, people use different types of vehicles to suit their lifestyle and their local environment. Some may only need a small car for short urban journeys, while others require a larger and more powerful vehicle to make regular long-distance trips. Concern about the environment and reducing carbon emissions cuts across these differences, which is why we believe there is no single solution. With our hybrid system we have produced a low carbon technology that can be used in multiple ways to address these different demands.
Ever since vehicles began using the internal combustion engine in the late 19th century, they have largely relied on fossil fuels that produce CO2 and contribute to global warming. While conventional engines will continue to play an important role in the short to medium term, we are researching and developing alternatives such as biofuels from organic sources, electricity and, more recently, hydrogen. With this multi-path approach we aim to secure better environmental performance by providing the right car, in the right place, at the right time.

Our route to producing the ultimate eco-car takes in different applications of our hybrid technology and the use of alternative fuels to secure the best results across a complete range of driving requirements.

Our electrification strategy for sustainable motability

Our technology roadmap brings together a broad range of environmental technologies for cleaner, more efficient future mobility, including hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid electric, electric battery power and fuel cell electric systems. By 2050 our aim is to reduce our vehicle CO2 emissions by 90% compared to the level in 2010.

Our strategy to reach this goal is to accelerate our development and delivery of electrified vehicles – hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid electric, fuel cell electric and battery electric vehicles. By around 2025, every model in our Toyota and Lexus ranges will either be a dedicated electrified vehicle, or will be available with an electrified powertrain as an option.

This will help us ensure widespread take-up of cleaner cars by motorists, to the point where we expect to be putting 5.5 million electrified vehicles on the world’s roads every year by 2030. This total will include at least one million vehicles with zero tailpipe emissions.

Our innovative hybrid power technology is applied to a range of vehicle types to suit the personal preferences and the mobility needs of many different customers, including battery electric, hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid electric and fuel cell electric vehicles.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

With our Eco-Vehicle Assessment System (Eco-VAS) we go beyond the usual LCA by evaluating the environmental impact of our vehicles right from resource extraction through to production, use, recycling and disposal. We have been carrying out Life Cycle Assessments of our vehicles since 1997. Every new generation vehicle achieves a better environmental performance than its predecessor. Toyota’s LCA methodology was reviewed and approved by the independent body of TÜV Rheinland and has been certified to comply with ISO 14040/14044 standards.

Meet the rest of the family building a sustainable future

With the launch of the Mirai, the world’s first mass-produced hydrogen fuel cell saloon, our range of advanced, alternative power vehicles continues to grow, taking our technology out of the research laboratory and on to the road. Our range also includes all-electric vehicles for urban mobility, such as the prototype i-ROAD, an ever-increasing number of hybrid cars and a rechargeable plug-in hybrid. Together these create a technical roadmap for our journey towards continuing to reduce our impact on the environment.

Modified: January 2022

Information correct at time of publication.