What’s Happening: Toyota Motor North America has announced a new vision called “Empact,” aimed at helping underserved communities transition to electrified mobility. The strategy focuses on three key areas: access to charging, providing affordable mobility solutions, and reducing carbon emissions.
Why It Matters: With a commitment to carbon neutrality and empowering action, Toyota’s Empact vision seeks to create a more equitable and inclusive deployment strategy within underserved communities, addressing issues related to electric vehicle (EV) charging access and affordability.
Key Points:
- Access to charging: Toyota will collaborate with partners and cities to identify ideal locations for charging station deployment, initially targeting locations without off-street or private parking, including areas of higher population density in multi-family housing.
- Affordability: Toyota will explore ways to enable more cost-effective public charging for greater adoption of battery electric vehicles (BEVs). The company will also continue to provide electrified vehicle options as part of its “Beyond Zero” vision, including affordable hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), as well as the all-electric Toyota bZ4X.
- Emissions reduction: Toyota will focus on reducing emissions associated with vehicle charging, particularly in underserved communities, by working with nonprofit organization WattTime and offering its Clean Assist™ opt-in program to customers in California.
Bottom Line: Toyota’s Empact vision aims to create a more equitable future for electrified mobility in underserved communities by addressing challenges related to EV charging access, affordability, and carbon emissions. The company will advance the implementation of Empact on a per-project basis, with the first programs being announced later this year. Through 2030, Toyota will invest more than $70 billion globally in vehicle electrification, including up to $35 billion in BEVs. In the U.S., Toyota currently offers 14 electrified vehicles, while its Lexus brand offers 8 electrified models, further demonstrating the company’s commitment to a sustainable future.
