Are electric vehicles truly more polluting than hybrids? Separating fact from fiction after Toyota’s statements

The electric vehicle market continues to expand at breakneck speed. This makes perfect sense, as we know that sales of gas-powered vehicles will be banned in Europe starting in 2035. Other regions around the world are also tightening regulations, pushing manufacturers toward cleaner propulsion methods. But one major automaker remains hesitant to fully embrace this transition.

Toyota’s electric vehicle skepticism

For many years, Toyota has maintained a cautious stance on fully electric vehicles, largely influenced by its former CEO. He believed that plug-in hybrids were almost as clean as electric cars. As a result, the Japanese company has fallen behind in the EV race, though things have started to shift slightly since the arrival of a new leader who shows more enthusiasm for electric mobility.

Yet this leadership change hasn’t convinced the former executive, who recently shared strong opinions on electric vehicles. “When the term ‘carbon neutrality‘ became popular, we declared as a company that carbon was the enemy. We need to focus on immediate actions to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. That’s the foundation of our decision.” In plain terms – we should fight pollution, but EVs aren’t the only solution.

The hybrid vs electric debate

The former Toyota leader maintains that plug-in hybrids perform just as well environmentally, pointing out that the company has sold over 27 million such vehicles. According to him, these have had “the same impact as 9 million battery electric vehicles on the road.” He adds, “if we had manufactured 9 million battery electric vehicles in Japan, it would have actually increased carbon emissions, not reduced them.”

What’s his reasoning? Japan relies heavily on thermal power plants for electricity generation – a notably polluting solution that typically requires fossil fuels. But is the claim that electric vehicles are worse for the environment than hybrid or conventional cars actually true?

Not really. While electric propulsion isn’t perfect, it remains cleaner than alternatives. This applies to manufacturing regardless of location – and yes, that includes the battery. (I’ve seen how battery production has become more efficient over the years, though it still has room for improvement.) And no surprise here – a gas-powered car pollutes more during use.

The numbers tell a different story

According to a study mentioned in the original text, electric cars emit 70% less polluting gases than gasoline and diesel cars. This calculation is based on a lifespan of about 155,000 miles. The gap is somewhat smaller in Japan, where an electric car becomes cleaner than a conventional vehicle after approximately 35,400 miles, or about 5.6 years. These figures are expected to improve to 21,700 miles and 3.1 years by 2030.

One thing remains clear – electric mobility is still the “cleanest” solution available. Though certain elements still pollute, such as brake wear and body manufacturing.

Looking toward the future

The former Toyota CEO, who led the company for thirteen years, believes that “we must consider all options and work in all directions” with the primary goal of reducing CO2 emissions, regardless of how it’s achieved. He warns that a 100% electric future could threaten up to 5.5 million jobs in Japan.

Despite these concerns, the company offers several zero-emission models (at the tailpipe), and also markets a hydrogen-powered vehicle, though sales have been disappointing.

What’s your take on this debate? Have you considered the full environmental impact when shopping for your next vehicle? The journey to truly sustainable transportation still has many miles ahead – but understanding the real environmental costs is the first step toward making better choices.