Toyota Misses EV Goals

author: FutureCar Staff    

Good morning! It's Friday, September 22, 2023, and this is The Morning Shift, your daily roundup of the top automotive headlines from around the world, in one place. Here are the important stories you need to know.

1st Gear: Toyota Must Increase EV Output 2,400 Percent

Relatively speaking, Toyota has been pretty slow to the electric vehicle party. However, the Japanese automaker is now looking to increase its EV targets significantly. According to a new report from Automotive News, Toyota hopes to hit 600,000 EV sales by 2025, 1.5 million EVs by 2026, and 3.5 million by 2030. This would surpass Tesla's EV sales in three years, and electric models would account for a third of Toyota's 9 million annual sales by the end of the decade.

However, Toyota has a long way to go. Last year, the company sold fewer than 25,000 EVs worldwide. It aimed to increase EV production to about 150,000 vehicles in 2023 and gradually increase it further to the 190,000-vehicle range next year. In the first half of 2023, Toyota sold 53,587 fully electric models, accounting for less than one percent of the 5.8 million cars the company sold in the first six months of the year. Toyota plans to "step up" production of its battery-powered vehicles in the coming years.

2nd Gear: Big Three Enter Another Round Of Final Talks

The United Auto Workers union in America has been on strike at Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis plants since last Friday. Now, the big three automakers are making another final attempt to reach a deal with the union. The talks are hoped to prevent an escalation of the industrial action.

Leaked messages from union insiders have caused some tension. The automakers believe that the union is not bargaining in good faith and intends to cause months-long disruption. The negotiations took place ahead of the UAW's Friday noon deadline for an expanded strike, which could include plants that produce some of the automakers' most popular models.

3rd Gear: E-Fuels Must Be Carbon Neutral In Europe

The European Union is looking into the use of e-fuels and their impact on carbon emissions. A draft document states that from 2035, cars running on e-fuels must be 100% carbon neutral to be offered for sale. This means that e-fuels must be made in a way that utilizes captured atmospheric carbon, offsetting the CO2 released when the fuel is burned in a car engine.

Companies like Porsche are investigating sustainable e-fuels as a means of keeping gas-powered cars on the road for longer. However, battery power and hydrogen are also competing for supremacy in the race for sustainable transport.

4th Gear: U.S. Probes 240,000 Ford EcoSport Models

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating an oil pump issue that could affect 240,000 Ford EcoSport models built between 2018 and 2021. The probe was initiated after receiving complaints alleging that the car's oil pump may fail, resulting in a loss of motive power while the vehicle is in motion. This investigation adds to the NHTSA's ongoing probe into 1.2 million Focus models and a probe into the Explorer SUV, affecting more than 700,000 units.

That's all for today's Morning Shift. Have a great day!

On The Radio: Justice - "D.A.N.C.E."

FutureCar Staff