Toyota says it plans to transform older cars into eco-friendly models to reduce carbon emissions
Author: Bethany Biron
Toyota has an idea for making its cars more eco-friendly - and it doesn't involve producing any new electric vehicles. Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda said the company plans to use a "conversion" strategy that involves transforming older cars into more sustainable models by replacing certain parts, the Associated Press repod.Speaking at an industry event on January 15, 2023 Toyoda - the grandson of company founder, Kiichiro Toyoda - said Toyota is looking into swapping sustainable technologies like fuel cells and electric motors into older cars in an effort to expedite an industry push toward electric vehicles. The company has faced mounting criticism for its lack of committment to producing EVs - a reluctance that is in large part due to the high cost of manufacturing the cars and Toyoda's insistence that some markets, particularly the US, aren't ready for them, the Wall Street Journal repod. Instead, the company has sought out alternatives in the form of hybrid cars that run on a blend of gasoline and electric, and hydrogen-powered cars. While Toyota has established itself as a leader in hybrids, the company's dedication to the model has led some to believe it has become a means of avoiding a broader push to electric, the AP repod.