Market leader Toyota NZ has restated its thoughts about the Clean Car Standard.

REITERATION of long-held contention that all kinds of mobility solutions, beyond simply pure electric, will be required as New Zealand transitions into a low emissions future has been expressed by the new car market’s dominant brand.

In sharing views it put to Government today, Palmerston North-centred Toyota New Zealand says it is focused on providing low emissions mobility for all New Zealanders, with aim to leave no customer behind.

Chief executive Neeraj Lala (above) says this is a position he presented to Government’s Transport and Infrastructure select committee, which is meeting to consider the  proposed Clean Car Standard, designed to slash the greenhouse gas emissions of new and used imported vehicles.

Toyota, the top sellers of cars and light commercials, Ford, Hyundai, Nissan and have all advised the committee to recommend relaxing proposed CO2 targets, saying the current proposal would see New Zealand “leap-frog” Europe in cutting emissions by 2027 and is not realistic.

If brought into law, the standard would phase in a stepped reduction in the average emissions of most new and used imported passenger vehicles to 145 grams per kilometre travelled in 2023, dropping to 63.3g/km in 2027, with financial penalties if the targets weren’t met.

Lala says Toyota supports Government’s transition to a low emissions economy and is keen to work in close collaboration to achieve this. 

However, he has repeated previous contention that there is no silver bullet when it comes to reducing transport sector emissions.

“We believe in investing in new technologies such as hydrogen fuel cells, car sharing, and Mobility as a Service, all as ways of lowering emissions and reducing transport congestion.

“Our challenge when it comes to transitioning to a low carbon transport future is availability of product, affordability to everyday Kiwis, and maintaining high standards of safety technology that is critical for our local road conditions,” he says.

To achieve New Zealand’s climate change targets for the transport sector the country needs stable policy that sets achievable emissions targets, according to TNZ.

Lala was independently reported as telling the committee, which comprise MPs, that proposed laws designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from cars have helped it secure less polluting stock from its Japanese parent.

But he also said a proposed target to reduce the average carbon emissions to 63 grams a kilometre travelled by 2027 was too tough, and he suggested it could lead to smaller car brands exiting the country, according to news reports.

He subsequently clarified that he was not suggesting Toyota’s presence here was threatened. Selling 40,000 new and used cars each year enabled it to be “a little bit more resilient”, he said.

A comment from TNZ has added to that, with Lala saying that a target of 105 grams per kilometre, presented by the Climate Change Commission and in the Emissions Reduction Plan, were consistent “with the communication we’ve had over the past two years, while the 63g presented came as a surprise.”

“Toyota has already achieved a 14 percent emissions reduction from its fleet in the past five years, and we’re targeting a 17 percent reduction in the next five.”

The brand has achieved this reduction by selling more hybrid electric vehicles – 11,000 predicted in 2021 – and more vehicles with fuel efficient powertrains.

“The New Zealand light vehicle market is unique in that it imports around 300,000 vehicles every year with around half being used imports and half new vehicles. We are well positioned to tailor our strategy to meet our communities’ specific needs.

“The future is unpredictable, so it’s important we focus on a variety of solutions to lower emissions,” Lala contended in a media statement today.

“We see a range of options to leave no customer behind on our pathway to lower emissions.”