Toyota’s European boss has repeated his call to extend the economic bloc’s planned “Made in Europe” vehicle production strategy to include “trusted partners” including U.K., Turkey and Japan.
Toyota Motor Europe President and CEO Yoshihiro Nakata has called on regulators to recognize the partnerships currently working together in Europe to maintain efficiencies, the company outlined in a Oct. 16 release.
His comments repeat an initial request made in June this year. They also follow a similar strategic alluded to by Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa during a Q&A session with international journalists last week at the Paris Motor Show.
The European Union’s proposed Made in Europe conditions are part of its Industrial Accelerator Act and the Automotive Package and currently cover only its own nations. Meanwhile, the U.K. Government is reviewing its Zero Emission Vehicle mandate. Toyota calls on policymakers to act pragmatically and with partnership in focus, to secure the future across Europe's automotive industry.
He pointed out that Toyota has been designing, developing and manufacturing vehicles within Europe for more than 60 years.
Toyota believes that an EU-only assembly regulation does not take into account all the engineering, research and development work involved in building cars and would put off long-standing investors, the automaker explained in the release.
An EU-only assembly regulation does not take into account all the engineering, research and development work involved in building cars and would put off long-standing investors, according to Toyota.
Nakata is calling on regulators to phase in European content building to 70% within three years, to delay automotive requirements before 2030 to mesh with development and supply-chain cycles, and to set a realistic threshold for overall vehicle sales, while applying one set of rules across public procurement, incentives and corporate fleets. He also wants to exclude fuel-cell vehicles until consumer demand rises and infrastructure is in place.
Meanwhile, Toyota is asking the U.K. government to align itself to Europe’s 2035 zero emission vehicle targets, set its own realistic 2030 levels, and recognize renewable fuels as a route to decarbonization. It wants a ZEV mandate revision to be passed in 2027.
Filosa answered a question on this topic at the Paris Motor Show, saying: “What is Made in Europe for us?”
“We are an automotive company that in Europe sells 85% of the cars produced in Europe,” said Filosa. “If you are an automotive company in Europe and can demonstrate that, then you should be rewarded.”
