A war of words has erupted between environmental group Greenpeace and Australia's leading car manufacturer after heated comments about electric vehicles at a Sydney event.
Toyota Australia sales and marketing vice-president Sean Hanley told attendees at a car launch the company did not oppose "battery electric vehicles" but disagreed with current proposals about "how and when you get there".
But Greenpeace Australia Pacific senior campaigner Lindsay Soutar said Mr Hanley's comments showed Toyota "clearly doesn't get it" and called on the car maker to "up their game" on environmentally friendly battery-powered vehicles.
Mr Hanley's comments came one week after Australian sales figures showed electric cars outsold hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles combined in September, and after after Toyota's overall sales dropped 26 per cent due to ongoing stock shortages.
Speaking at the launch, the Toyota sales boss said while electric cars had "suddenly become a trendsetting" topic, the manufacturer would back a range of different technologies, including petrol and hybrid cars.
Mr Hanley said Toyota would not "argue the toss" on reducing vehicle emissions in Australia but disagreed with current proposals to transition to electric vehicles.
"We agree you've got to get to carbon neutral," he said.
"All we disagree with is how and when you get there.
"To be honest, some of this belief you can go full electric in 10 years in this country and satisfy the punters, satisfy the owners, satisfy what they want to do in cars is a very difficult proposition."
Toyota has committed to selling "some form of electrification" in all its cars by 2030 but is yet to launch an all-electric vehicle in Australia.
The manufacturer is currently a leader in hybrid vehicles, which use a combination of petrol and battery power.
But Ms Soutar said it was disappointing to see Toyota "double-down" on fuel-burning vehicles rather than support the transition to greener cars.
"We know Australians want electric vehicles - there's huge demand for them - and Toyota is falling behind in the automotive race to switch over to electric vehicles," she said.
"It appears (Toyota) has doubled-down on existing technology, hybrid technology.
"This technology is 25 years old and when it was first developed it was leading the market but the world has moved on. Zero-emission solutions are available."
A Greenpeace East Asia report recently ranked Toyota in last place for its environmental credentials, with a score of 10 out of 100 and low marks for selling electric cars, phasing out conventional vehicles, and reducing carbon in its supply chain.
Ms Soutar said Greenpeace would "closely" watch Toyota's response to the National Electric Vehicle Strategy consultation paper when submissions were finalised on October 31.
