Toyota has been at the forefront of New Energy Vehicles (NEV) and it will continue to fly the carbon neutral flag right into the future. I have been saying for some time that Electric Vehicles (EVs) are not all that, especially not here in South Africa. We just don’t have the infrastructure or, to put it bluntly, the money. They target such a teeny tiny percent of this country, how can they be sustainable for any manufacturer? This is where Toyota just gets it right. The plan is to be carbon neutral by 2050, and that doesn’t only involve EVs. Toyota want to accelerate widespread use of next-generation vehicles to save energy and respond to a diverse range of fuels. This means a widespread use of fuel cell, electric and other Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEVs). There are 54 countries in Africa, each with a unique environment, market and policy to consider. In response to such diverse needs, Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) is preparing all options, including Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs), Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) and Hydrogen Combustion Engines (H2ICE), while also enhancing the efficiency of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles by expanding our usage to run on carbon-neutral green fuels, all under the policy of âleaving no one behindâ to tackle carbon neutrality with a âmulti-pathway approachâ. A smart move made by Toyota yonks ago, and one they continue to make, is around hybrids and plug-in hybrids. It is such a clever way for customers to move toward energy efficient vehicles without taking the plunge directly into EVs. It is also a far more affordable option. âIn such an environment, we believe that HEVs are the most practical solution for carbon neutrality in Africa. They donât take electricity from the grid, they can reduce CO2 emissions by 40%, make use of existing petrol stations, and are more affordable than BEVs,â says Andrew Kirby, President and CEO of TSAM. There are many options for customers now, but there will more and more options coming our way. Some of the options we got to experience at the recent Women in Auto event held be Toyota in the Western Cape. These included the Corolla Cross 1.8 hybrid and the mild hybrid Fortuner and Hilux, We even got to sample a few that aren’t on the market such as the Battery Electric BZ4X, the fuel cell electric Mirai, and the plug-in hybrid RAV4. If I wasn’t a Toyota fan already, this event just cemented so many positives for me. Not only were we there to celebrate the incredible women within this tough industry, but we got to see what the future looks like for Toyota, and all I can say is, it will be a rosy one! Watch this space!