Business
Toyota Is Stepping Up Its Hybrid Production As EV Sales Slow. But What Does This Signify For The Planet?
Just over a year ago, Toyota appeared to admit that it had failed to deliver on electric automobiles. Its CEO, Akio Toyoda, resigned, describing himself as “an old-fashioned” guy unqualified to lead the world’s largest automaker through the electric revolution.
However, since then, the Japanese corporation has done little to embrace a fully electric future, instead relying heavily on its massively successful hybrid vehicles, which often generate more planet-heating pollution than electric vehicles.
Toyota Is Stepping Up Its Hybrid Production As EV Sales Slow. But What Does This Signify For The Planet?
According to auto experts, the company’s hesitancy about EVs was not a mistake but rather a planned approach to offering consumers what they want. While EV sales are increasing, issues such as price, battery range, and a scarcity of charging stations are slowing the increase in demand.
Toyota’s decision to prioritize hybrids has paid off handsomely: the business is smashing its competitors, including all-electric Tesla. It sold 11.2 million vehicles worldwide last year, more than any other carmaker. A third were hybrids, while less than 1% were EVs.
Research by climate think tank InfluenceMap and a Toyota memo obtained by CNN demonstrates how hard the firm has lobbied governments worldwide to keep hybrids on the road for decades. Toyota vehemently opposes decisions in some of its most important markets, particularly the United States, that place EVs at the core of the clean-energy transportation shift.
Toyota told CNN that it shares “the objective of reducing carbon as much as possible, as soon as possible.” However, the corporation has been very critical of President Joe Biden’s administration’s EV policy, particularly its proposed rule that would compel up to two-thirds of new car sales to be EVs by the start of the next decade.
Some analysts believe Toyota’s campaigning is dragging up the EV market, and Toyota’s intentions will have far-reaching consequences for global warming. Road transportation contributes around 25% of worldwide carbon pollution. As the industry leader, Toyota’s competitors will contemplate following suit.
According to Daniel Sperling, founding director of the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, if Toyota adopted EVs sooner, it would encourage others to follow suit.
He stated, “It would put a lot more pressure on Ford or GM to move faster. “It would also pressure the EPA to move faster.”
As other automakers begin to reconsider their own EV expenditures, experts debate what role EVs and hybrids will play in the future. Those more concerned about the climate problem are asking a larger question: what does this all mean for the planet?
Which cars are the most polluting?
To determine how much global warming pollution an automobile emits, its entire life cycle must be considered, not just what comes out of the tailpipe but also what it took to construct and transport the car to the dealership.
Gas-powered automobiles, hybrids, and EVs all create nearly the same amount of pollutants in manufacturing, except for the battery.
Fully electric vehicles have enormous batteries produced from resources that require extensive mining. According to one study, on average, they emit 40% more pollution than hybrid and gas-powered vehicles.
Toyota Is Stepping Up Its Hybrid Production As EV Sales Slow. But What Does This Signify For The Planet?
However, the picture varies over their entire life cycle. Gas-powered vehicles are the cleanest to manufacture but the dirtiest during their lifespan due to significant exhaust pollution.
EVs may be the most carbon-intensive to build, but they generate the least carbon emissions over their lifetime: 40% less than gas-powered vehicles. Another study found that after around two years, the pollution savings from driving an EV offset the pollution caused during production.
Hybrids are in the middle; on average, they emit 17% more carbon pollution than EVs. However, not all hybrids are made equal.
A pure hybrid uses gasoline and stores excess energy from the brakes and, occasionally, the gas engine, making it more fuel-efficient than a standard car.
Plug-in hybrids provide the reliability and range of gas cars while emitting less pollution and using less fuel. They are also more affordable than electric vehicles. Plug-in hybrids employ EV-like batteries and can normally travel 20 to 40 miles on electricity, but they also include fuel tanks and can convert to pure hybrids when the battery is low.
Some plug-in hybrids compete with EVs in terms of total life-cycle pollutants. According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy’s 2024 rankings, Toyota’s plug-in hybrid, the Prius Prime SE, is the least polluting car on American roads, including EVs. This is due to a mix of variables, including the Prime’s weight and design, which increase fuel efficiency.
According to InfluenceMap, a climate think tank that analyzed the company’s engagement activities, Toyota has been lobbying governments for at least three years to stall the transition to all-electric vehicles. The report states that Toyota has done so in several countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
In a 2022 analysis, InfluenceMap placed Toyota as the tenth most influential firm in the world opposing climate policy action out of over 400 in its database.
Toyota, other automakers, and an auto trade association strongly opposed the EPA’s proposed tailpipe rule. Two individuals familiar with the plan told CNN in February that the Biden administration is considering delaying the tough standards slated to begin in 2027 until after 2030. That would eventually cut as much pollution as the original proposal, but more gradually, resulting in more pollution in the short run.
Toyota would benefit greatly from such a delay, given that, according to Cox Automotive and Kelley Blue Book, it supplied only 1.3% of EVs in the United States last year but more than 14% of all automobiles under the Toyota and Lexus brands.
Toyota Is Stepping Up Its Hybrid Production As EV Sales Slow. But What Does This Signify For The Planet?
Toyota has publicly opposed EV objectives in numerous nations. However, a letter sent to car dealers all over the country in the fall of 2023 that CNN was able to obtain shows how determined the company is to weaken the US government’s electric vehicle laws.
In the document, Toyota Motor North America group vice president of government affairs Stephen Ciccone blasted the EPA’s EV proposal as “draconian,” stating it was bad for the environment, the country, the consumer, And the auto industry.
“Never before in the 120-year history of the US auto industry has an administration used its power more forcibly to dictate the future of the auto industry,” Ciccone said in the email, claiming the EPA’s mandate had generated an “existential crisis” in the industry.
“For more than two years, Toyota and our dealer partners have stood alone in the fight against unrealistic BEV mandates,” Ciccone stated, referring to battery electric vehicles. “We have received a lot of criticism from environmentalists, the media, and some politicians. But we haven’t—and will not—back down.”
Toyota verified the memo’s veracity but did not provide any specific comments. Some of Toyota’s shareholders are speaking out against the company’s bad climate campaigning, like the Danish pension fund AkademikerPension, which stated in a letter that Toyota was becoming “a global laggard status on climate action within the auto sector.”
“Toyota is a conservative, cautious company,” UC’s Sperling explained. “Their incrementalist approach is to support plug-in hybrids. That is their next step, and it is not disruptive to the market or the consumer. They move slowly, but they do good engineering. You look at their behavior now; in that environment, it’s not shocking.”
SOURCE – (CNN)
LONDON —Shein, an online fast-fashion retailer, has been placed on the European Union’s list of major platforms that require heightened examination. This will subject the company to the bloc’s most stringent digital restrictions.
The European Union’s Executive Commission has officially categorized Shein as a “very large online platform” by the Digital Services Act, a comprehensive set of regulations aimed at improving the safety of online platforms and protecting internet users.
AP – VOR News Image
Online Retailer Shein Is Latest To Face Strict European Union Digital Regulations
Shein is an affordable e-commerce company that originated in China but is currently headquartered in Singapore. Its primary means of reaching clients is through its application. The corporation committed to actively collaborating to establish a secure and lawful environment for our online community.
Leonard Lin, Shein’s worldwide head of public relations, agreed with the Commission’s goal of providing European Union consumers with a secure online shopping experience. He affirmed Shein’s dedication to contributing to this objective. “We also have a shared dedication to the fundamental values of openness and responsibility that form the foundation of the DSA.”
Shein has grown rapidly in the Western market by providing affordable clothing and household products, focusing on younger women. This has been achieved through collaborations with online influencers and celebrities on social media platforms.
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Online Retailer Shein Is Latest To Face Strict European Union Digital Regulations
With its user base exceeding 45 million in Europe, Shein is obligated to comply with the most rigorous regulations by August. The company implements efforts to safeguard online users and addresses and reduces any potential “systemic risks” associated with its services, such as restricting the sale of unlawful or counterfeit items.
According to the Commission, Shein is required to modify its user interfaces and recommendation algorithms to mitigate any potential dangers to customers’ safety and well-being. Additionally, Shein must submit annual risk assessment reports that evaluate the potential harm to consumers, focusing on youngsters.
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Online Retailer Shein Is Latest To Face Strict European Union Digital Regulations
The European Union has already included 22 prominent technology companies, such as Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Amazon, and Google Search, on its roster of major online services that require the highest level of oversight since the implementation of the Digital Services Act (DSA) last year.
Other online services operating in the European Union are not exempt and must adhere to the law’s main criteria. Infractions can result in penalties of up to 6% of a corporation’s yearly global income.
SOURCE – (AP)
The location is Cape Canaveral, Florida. On Thursday, the two NASA astronauts designated for Boeing’s inaugural manned space mission arrived at the launch site approximately one week before their planned departure.
Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have been selected as test pilots for Boeing’s Starliner capsule, marking its inaugural crewed mission following significant delays. On Thursday, they traveled by air from Houston to Kennedy Space Center.
AP – VOR News Image
NASA Astronauts Arrive For Boeing’s First Human Spaceflight
Scheduled for launch on May 6 using an Atlas rocket, the Starliner spacecraft will go to the International Space Station for a week-long test mission. Boeing is endeavoring to close the gap with SpaceX, which has been conducting manned space missions for NASA since 2020.
Boeing’s two earlier Starliner test flights were unmanned. The initial launch in 2019 was unsuccessful in reaching the space station due to software malfunctions and other technical issues. Boeing replicated the demonstration in 2022. In more recent times, the capsule encountered problems with its parachutes and had to address the issue of flammable tape that needed to be eliminated.
Wilmore emphasized that this is a test flight intended to uncover any anomalies.
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NASA Astronauts Arrive For Boeing’s First Human Spaceflight
Do we anticipate flawless execution? “This is the inaugural manned voyage of the spacecraft,” he informed the press. “I am confident that we will discover information.” This is the reason why we engage in this activity.
NASA enlisted the services of SpaceX and Boeing ten years ago, allocating billions of dollars to facilitate the transportation of personnel to and from the space station. Despite the space station’s planned closure by 2030, the space agency remains enthusiastic about procuring capsules from two rival businesses to transport its astronauts.
“That is of utmost importance,” Wilmore remarked.
AP – VOR News Image
NASA Astronauts Arrive For Boeing’s First Human Spaceflight
Wilmore and Williams are set to become the inaugural astronauts to embark aboard an Atlas rocket since NASA’s Project Mercury in the early 1960s.
SOURCE – (AP)
Business
The TikTok Law Kicks Off A New Showdown Between Beijing And Washington. What’s Coming Next?
WASHINGTON – TikTok is preparing to engage in a legal battle against a U.S. legislation that would compel the social media platform to sever its connections with its China-based parent company. Chinese authorities likely support this action, as the intense rivalry between the United States and China jeopardizes the future of a highly popular online platform for young Americans to connect.
Beijing has indicated that TikTok should resist what it perceives as a “robbers” move by U.S. politicians who aim to seize all the valuable assets possessed by others. If a judicial challenge is unsuccessful, experts believe that Chinese authorities are unlikely to permit a sale, as this may be interpreted as yielding to Washington.
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The TikTok Law Kicks Off A New Showdown Between Beijing And Washington. What’s Coming Next?
Alex Capri, a senior lecturer at the National University of Singapore and research fellow at Hinrich Foundation, suggests that Beijing is concerned about the negative implications that the U.S. action against the popular short-form video platform could have, as it may establish an undesirable precedent. “If Beijing surrenders to the United States, what will be the ultimate outcome?”
Parent firm ByteDance issued its first formal comment on the new rule in a post on Toutiao, a Chinese news app owned by the company. The statement explicitly mentioned that ByteDance has no intention of selling TikTok. In response to media reports, the firm based in Beijing addressed the speculation around exploring potential possibilities for selling TikTok’s U.S. business.
The legislation that U.S. President Joe Biden signed this week may allow Washington to extend its reach to target other China-related apps, such as the well-known e-commerce platform Temu, according to Hu Xijin, a former editor-in-chief for the party-run newspaper Global Times. Furthermore, it could encourage U.S. allies to take similar actions.
According to Hu, a political commentator, TikTok, with its 170 million American users, should display more courage and determination by refusing to give up and fighting until the very end.
TikTok has pledged to contest the recently enacted U.S. legislation that mandates ByteDance to sell off its ownership interests within a one-year timeframe in order to prevent a ban. The corporation has described the regulation as a violation of the freedom of expression of its users, the majority of whom utilize the program for amusement purposes.
The company expressed confidence in its position, stating that it firmly thinks the facts and the law support its case, and they are confident in its ultimate victory.
The dispute around TikTok has escalated the tensions between the United States and China, as both countries have pledged to safeguard their economic and national security concerns. U.S. legislators are apprehensive about the Chinese ownership of the application, as it may potentially enable Beijing to exercise undesirable influence on the United States, particularly on the impressionable minds of young individuals.
Washington has achieved a series of triumphs in reducing the influence of Chinese corporations through bans, export controls, and forced divestitures. This has led to protests from Beijing, who believe that the U.S. is intentionally trying to suppress China’s economic growth through coercion.
AP – VOR News Image
The TikTok Law Kicks Off A New Showdown Between Beijing And Washington. What’s Coming Next?
The United States has previously compelled Chinese corporations to sell off their assets. For instance, in 2020, Beijing Kunlun, a Chinese mobile video game company, agreed to divest itself of the gay dating app Grindr following a directive from the federal government. However, TikTok, which was developed by a Chinese corporation exclusively for the international market, serves as a prominent example of China’s technological prowess on a worldwide scale. Beijing is determined not to relinquish control over this influential platform.
Gabriel Wildau, managing director of Teneo, a consultancy and advisory firm based in New York, stated that national dignity is at risk and may be prioritized over the financial interests of ByteDance investors, especially global investors with a 60% stake in the company.
The corporation is anticipated to mount a legal battle that will heavily rely on First Amendment considerations and has the potential to be protracted for several years. Analysts assert that Beijing is relying on a favorable legal outcome.
The course of action to be taken if TikTok fails to succeed is currently under discussion with the Chinese authorities, according to Dominic Chiu, an analyst with Eurasia Group. Chiu stated that President Xi Jinping, who has the authority to approve or disallow the transaction, has likely yet to make the definitive choice.
Fortunately for Xi, Beijing does not face any immediate pressure to decide, according to Sun Yun, the director of the China program at the Stimson Center in Washington. “There is a possibility for numerous alterations,” she stated.
If lawmakers’ desire for a sale of TikTok is fulfilled, the procedure is expected to be complicated for the company. TikTok would need to separate its activities in the United States from all other aspects of its business.
Firstly, the cost of acquiring TikTok’s U.S. operations, although undisclosed, is anticipated to be substantial enough to significantly restrict the number of potential investors and companies capable of affording it. Several investors, including former Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, have already positioned themselves as potential purchasers of a U.S. iteration of TikTok. According to market tracker Pitchbook, ByteDance, a privately held company, has a valuation of $220 billion.
There is now a lack of clarity on the fate of the TikTok algorithm, which is the secret formula responsible for delivering personalized short videos to users depending on their preferences. This algorithm has played a significant role in establishing TikTok as a dominant force in popular culture.
ByteDance would be prohibited from having control over the algorithm of a U.S. subsidiary of TikTok. According to many experts, Chinese authorities are likely to prohibit the sale of the technology that appears in people’s TikTok feeds, based on the amended export regulations of 2020. After the federal courts blocked former President Donald Trump’s attempt to outlaw TikTok through an executive order, this revision took place.
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The TikTok Law Kicks Off A New Showdown Between Beijing And Washington. What’s Coming Next?
According to certain individuals, including Mnuchin, it is necessary to reconstruct TikTok in the United States by employing novel technology. However, it is uncertain how this will manifest or how effectively it will replicate the kind of video suggestions that viewers have become accustomed to.
According to Robin Burke, a professor of information science at the University of Colorado Boulder, certain elements of the algorithm might potentially be duplicated by individuals within the company. However, he also observed that TikTok has certain areas where it outperforms its competition, making it difficult to replicate.
“TikTok possesses extensive experience and a wealth of data,” Burke stated. “I believe it is improbable for a U.S. company, without inheriting the technology from its parent company, to construct something of equal caliber.” Definitely not immediately.
SOURCE – (AP)
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