Hybrid Car Review

A couple of days ago, I discussed how Toyota has come under fire from some environmental groups who feel that Toyota has two sides. One is the environmentally conscious Prius and hybrid engine leader with a very green image. The other side is opposed to the recent CAFE proposal (as part of its trade group) and has led the resistance (again, as part of the trade group) against recent state legislation regarding emissions and adopting California emissions regulations.

My opinion is these environmental groups are fighting the good fight, but I believe they are unlikely to get Toyota to split away from the Auto Alliance. See Target Toyota for more details. Toyota has become the number one seller of cars in the current environment. Forcing the other car companies to increase their fuel efficiency would be a direct challenge to where they (and Honda) are seen as leaders.

But the environmental groups have decided to join together in protest of Toyota's opposition. They have created a website: www.truthabouttoyota.com which outlines their beef with Toyota's stance on the environmental issues. They are also running a full page ad in the USA Today. And they are sending the a letter to Toyota North America Chairman and CEO, Shigeru Hayakawa, "asking him to stop the companies lobby efforts to "weaken, delay, or eliminate" meaningful fuel economy standards."

The groups supporting this movement against Toyota include: American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, the League of Conservation Voters, the National Environmental Trust, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Union of Concerned Scientists, and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, Friends of the Earth, Conservation Law Foundation and Environment California.

Press Release Follows:

Washington, DC - Nine of the nation's leading environmental and science-based organizations targeted Toyota today for the company's opposition to legislation before Congress to set the first meaningful increase in fuel economy standards in nearly 30 years. As the producer of the hybrid Prius and other fuel-efficient vehicles, Toyota has publicly opposed a bipartisan Senate compromise to increase fuel economy standards to 35 miles per gallon fleet wide by 2020. In response, the organizations have sent a letter to Toyota North America Chairman and CEO, Shigeru Hayakawa, asking him to stop the companies lobby efforts to "weaken, delay, or eliminate" meaningful fuel economy standards.

At the same time, the groups will run a full page ad targeting Toyota in USA Today and launch a Web site, TruthAboutToyota.com, to highlight the disconnect between Toyota's public commitment to better technology and higher fuel economy and its efforts behind the scenes to block this important environmental legislation.

"Just because Toyota is taking over General Motor's market share does not mean that Toyota has to take on GM's anti-environmental lobbying practices," said Brendan Bell, Washington Representative for the Union of Concerned Scientists.

The new Web site gives owners of fuel-efficient Toyota vehicles the opportunity to send a letter to Hayakawa expressing their concern with the company's stance on fuel efficiency. In addition, consumers and Prius owners in 15 states will hold rallies at Toyota dealerships to raise questions about the company's opposition to greater fuel economy standards.

"Toyota needs to start living up to its slogan, 'moving forward' instead of driving us backward," said Philip Clapp, President of the National Environmental Trust.

In June, the Senate passed a bipartisan compromise to increase the fleet widefuel economy of new vehicles to 35 miles per gallon by 2020. When fullyimplemented, the Senate bill would reduce U.S. oil consumption by 1.2 millionbarrels per day - more than twice as much as is currently imported from Iraq.It would also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 200 million metrictons per year in 2020; the equivalent of taking over 31 million vehicles off the road every year.

"Being seen as a green automaker has been great for Toyota's sales. Thecompany changed the game by putting hybrid technology on the road. If Toyota expects to keep that image, they should stop lobbying against the strongest fuel economy improvement in over 30 years," said Frances Beinecke, President of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

The letter, the ad and the TruthAboutToyota.com site are supported by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, the League of Conservation Voters, the National Environmental Trust, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Union of Concerned Scientists, and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, Friends of the Earth, Conservation Law Foundation and Environment California. For more information please visit http://www.truthabouttoyota.com.