Toyota Motors has been slow on the update to adopt Electric Vehicles for many years, but at the end of 2021 had an about-face announcement that the company would launch 30 new types of all-electric vehicles (EV's) by Japan's 2030 target when the country will ban new car sales of any non-hybrid or zero-emission vehicles. Toyota is also launched a huge city of the future called WOVEN CITY at the base of Mt.Fuji.
This is an audio read of my latest MEDIUM article introducing and giving some insights on these exciting new projects. Read the article here.
What do you think?
Transcripts
Sustainable Cars & Future City by JJ Walsh - read by JJWalsh
Toyota is reviving my enthusiasm for the positive influence of big business on sustainability in Japan — Oh-o-o-o I hope you too have that feeling by the end of this post about Toyota’s 30 Types of Electric Cars and a Sustainable City.
ectric Vehicles to be sold by:
Toyota’s 30 Types of Electric Vehicles Pledge
President Akio Toyoda of Toyota motors has been notoriously anti-BEV (Battery powered Electric Vehicles) and has long pushed for the adoption of HEV (Hydrogen powered Electric Vehicles) with good reason– powering vehicles from converted water seemed like the best zero-emissions path. Toyota’s HEV MIRAI certainly has a lot of potential if hydrogen power can be made more efficiently with renewable energy and a refilling infrastructure can be established.
its future potential in this:
The:
I’d driven Honda cars for years, but my honest Honda dealer couldn’t recommend any of their models when I shopped for an EV in 2019, we’re just not ready yet, he told me. I am so impressed with his honesty.
The Rise of the EV
The market had shifted by:
I shopped around for an EV in:
of its EV models as early as:
ure, but it was also the bold:
Japan government stuck to the:
About a fifth of carbon dioxide emissions in Japan are transportation related, including car exhaust. The Asahi Shimbun 12/4/2020
EV’s by:
Talking about his change of heart about EV’s Akio Toyoda says,
I was not interested in Toyota’s past EV’s, but am getting more interested in the BEV’s we are developing for the future. I now think that electric motors have higher efficiency than gasoline-only powered vehicles– vehicles that are safe, faster, and fun-to-drive on various roads is a big change for our company.
Akio Toyoda in video How Serious is Toyota about Battery EV’s.
ybrid car all the way back in:
WOVEN City of the Future
One way President Akio Toyoda may still be able to demonstrate to the world that he is right about Hydrogen and so many other sustainable initiatives is via this innovative concept city project called WOVEN.
This model city is now recruiting experts, creators, technicians and entrepreneurs from across Japan and around the world. The aim of the test city is to demonstrate not only the potential of new clean-tech, but also accessibility and quality of life.
The aim is to power the city with circular innovation such as zero-emission hydrogen energy and storage in this residential and commercial design space. There are also important nods to Japan’s rich culture of design and tradition by utilizing traditional carpentry techniques. Natural walkways and separating vehicles and people is also an aim to create a healthy, safe, and highly-valued community design.
e future has broken ground in:
Woven City in the Planning — Concept Graphic courtesy of Toyota Global
I introduced some of the ideas of this Toyota Woven City of the future in the 2nd episode of this month’s Sustainable Short-Takes and Updates talk between Hiroshima and Tokyo sustainable strategists Tove Kinooka and myself.
I’m very excited about this initiative as it offers a testing ground to find a true sustainable balance between the needs of people and planet with profits.
There is a dual focus here, not only how more efficient and sustainable technologies can work in a residential space, but also how greater mobility for people with accessibility issues and other important aspects of social equity can also be addressed.
Gender Imbalance
One hurdle to reaching utopia is the gender inequity at Toyota which I hope will be addressed this year as the projects develop– where are the women?
Report states that as of June:
10% of all officer positions were held by women, but they aim to meet their goal of 30% by 2030 which is in line with the Japanese government’s goal.
Global Toyota
The public view of most industries and policymakers across Japan, however, is that women are kept out of decision-making or positions of influence and expertise– there need to be more top women in the public view to create empowerment. Unfortunately, from the unveiling of the 30 EV’s above to promotional materials for the Woven City, there are no women in view.
As gender inequity is a major hurdle to Japan meeting SDG targets, I hope to see Toyota start to address a better gender balance starting with this innovative Japan showpiece ideal perception of humanity’s future.
I’m eager to help shift that male-dominated perspective. It was wonderful to talk with Jackie Birdsall of Toyota North America and hope to interview a woman connected with this Woven City project in the Seek Sustainable Japan live talkshow sometime this year.
This is the perfect time to talk about social and environmental equity as well as to gain more insights on this challenging project as it develops.
Tove and I would also love to have a female speaker from Toyota Japan join our Women in CleanTech & Sustainability in Japan conference to be held in Tokyo, Hiroshima and online on March 21st.
Toyota’s 30 EV’s and Woven City could be great models for industry, cities, and policymakers around the world, as well as inspire billions of people across the world seeking out more sustainable solutions and strategies for life, work and travel.
