Toyota Sets Sights on Carbon Neutrality in Europe by 2040
Toyota maintains operations in Europe will be carbon neutral by 2040, at Toyota Motor Europe’s annual Kenshiki presentation in Brussels.

Toyota maintains operations in Europe will be carbon neutral by 2040, at Toyota Motor Europe’s annual Kenshiki presentation in Brussels.
IMAGE: Toyota
Toyota maintains operations in Europe will be carbon neutral by 2040, at Toyota Motor Europe’s (TME) annual Kenshiki presentation in Brussels.
Marvin Cooke, executive vice president of manufacturing for TME, outlined how the company plans to make its European manufacturing facilities carbon-neutral. The automaker, he said, will minimize energy consumption, switch to green energy and implement continuous improvement innovations to reduce or eliminate CO2 emissions.
He noted these efforts are already underway, with the automaker installing solar panels “equivalent to 10 football pitches” and recycling over 90% of the waste at its engine plant in Deeside in the U.K.
“We expect to be carbon-neutral as early as 2025,” he told Ward’s Auto. “(With) activities outside our direct control, such as upstream supply and logistics, the challenge is greater and one we will achieve in close collaboration with our partners and suppliers.”
Matt Harrison, president and CEO of TME, reported the company has two focus areas. “The first is carbon neutrality and how we plan to achieve it in areas of our business, and the second is the future of mobility as we transition from a manufacturing and sales company to a provider of mobility services,” he said.
Gill Pratt, chief scientist of Toyota Motor Corp. and CEO of Toyota Research Institute, shared how the automaker plans to approach decarbonization globally. Its efforts will include using multiple electrified technologies and optimizing the use of scarce resources to improve carbon reduction.
Toyota’s multi-powertrain-technology strategy will include battery-powered and hydrogen powered vehicles. Company leaders explain the short supply and high costs of battery materials and the lack of infrastructure make a combination of battery-electric, plug-in hybrid-electric, hybrid-electric and fuel-cell vehicles the best approach to reducing CO2 emissions over the next decade.
“We must do what is best for the environment, which is to extract the most carbon reduction from each battery cell produced, replacing as many non-electrified vehicles as possible with electrified ones, guided by the simple principle that carbon is the enemy, not any particular powertrain,” Pratt explained.
More Dealer Ops

Ladies and Gentlemen, This Is a Dealership: Why the Fundamentals Still Decide Who Wins
A teaching moment by a legendary football coach happens to apply perfectly in the auto retail space. Learn what it is and how to use it to your store’s advantage.
Read More →
Timing the Market Can Hurt Long-Term Program Performance
For dealer-owned reinsurance entities, avoiding volatility entirely can mean falling behind inflation and missing market rebounds that drive long term surplus growth. Missing just a handful of strong market days can materially impact cumulative returns—an important reminder for long horizon trust and investment strategies.
Read More →
Dealer Ads and the FTC
The agency has made it clear in recent enforcement actions and warnings, in auto retail and other industries, that advertised prices must include all nonoptional costs to the consumer.
Read More →
Used Autos Supply Dwindles
The March shopping surge, despite high prices, cut into inventory by the most since the thick of the pandemic, Cox Automotive analysts calculated.
Read More →
Managing Risk Effectively Through Changing Times
The variables influencing risk pricing have changed significantly over the past five years. Being proactive and responsive to emerging trends is not optional but essential.
Read More →
Survey Reveals What Won't Fix What's Breaking Car Sales
AutoPayPlus says extra-long auto loans are trapping consumers and threatening the dealer trade-in cycle, and that the industry is leveraging the wrong tools to combat high MSRPs.
Read More →
IA American Appoints Two Execs
Senior vice presidents of the company's agent and dealer channels chosen to support general agents and help auto dealers with sales and performance.
Read More →
Cox Automotive Acquires Inspection Firm
Full ownership of Alliance Inspection Management, or AiM, meant to unlock growth for Manheim inspection capabilities
Read More →
Assurant Expands Partnership With Holman
Extended collaboration delivers training, products and performance development to 30 newly acquired Holman dealerships
Read More →
Franchises, Throughput Down in First Half
A handful of states see franchise growth through June, while EV sales per store boost overall business in U.S.
Read More →