Car maker Toyota has again reaffirmed its commitment to UK production, despite a claim in the Sunday Telegraph that it could wind up its UK manufacturing if the sale of new hybrid vehicles is banned from 2030.
Under current government plans, diesel and petrol vehicles will be phased out from 2030. While hybrid vehicles also have an internal combustion engine combined with a battery-powered motor, some of these vehicles will continue to be made and sold until 2035, although which ones will only become evident once the new regulations are published.
In response to the article in the Telegraph, a spokesman for Toyota said that some elements of its response to the government’s CO2 consultation in 2021 had been taken out of context, noting that it covered many important issues. He said that the company was focused on ensuring the long-term sustainability of its UK plants, adding:
“We have invested over £2.75bn in our UK operations to date, including most recently £240m to produce the current Corolla models. The majority of our UK vehicle production is made up of full hybrids (up to 90%) responding to high levels of customer demand in the UK and the European region.”
The spokesman added that starting with its engine plant in North Wales, Toyota wanted its UK plants to be its first to feature net-zero operations. If you’re also looking to decarbonise, get in touch with our helpful team at TrAchem to see how carbon neutral lubricants like Shell Naturelle can help you achieve this.
