The U.S. is gradually moving toward policies that will put more EVs on the road, but for Toyota, the transition is too fast. The Japanese automaker, which is among the world’s largest car companies, is putting pressure on policymakers in Washington to resist the push for an electric future, in part because the company is lagging behind the rest of the industry in making that transition.
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According to The New York Times, a top Toyota executive met with congressional leaders behind closed doors in recent weeks to oppose the Biden administration’s plans to spend billions of dollars to incentivize the transition to EVs. The executive, Chris Reynolds, argued that hybrid vehicles like the Toyota Prius, as well as hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, should also be part of the administration’s plans.
Additionally, Toyota is taking a swipe at the Alliance for Automotive Innovation , which supports electric vehicle policy. The group, which represents major automakers and their suppliers and is chaired by Reynolds, is opposed to the Biden administration’s plan to adopt the so-called California compromise as its official position, the Times reported.
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Toyota's efforts to slow the transition to electric vehicles are largely due to the fact that Toyota has lagged far behind its competitors. Companies like Nissan, General Motors, and Volkswagen have been selling pure battery electric vehicles for years, while also revealing their plans to phase out natural gas cars entirely.
However, Toyota executives, including billionaire CEO Akio Toyoda, have previously called the trend toward electric vehicles "overrated" in part because of emissions associated with power plants.
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Toyota's argument that hybrids and fuel cell vehicles should also be included in the discussion isn't bad. Hybrids in particular are an important starting point for wider EV adoption, especially as charging infrastructure is still in its infancy.
