Vehicle giants pivot to electrified and hybrid future

Vehicle giants pivot to electrified and hybrid future, illustration photo/ Source: freepik.com

Toyota Vietnam is expanding on its strong commitments to reduce carbon emissions by 2050 and the goal of net-zero in manufacturing by 2035 through diverse solutions, it said at a workshop co-hosted by Toyota Vietnam and Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical organised in early this month in Hanoi.

“Toyota Vietnam has chosen a multidimensional approach to reduce carbon emissions, through alternative energy solutions and electric vehicles (EVs) that are suitable for users’ needs,” said general director Nakano Keita.

In the Vietnamese market, Toyota has already launched three hybrid models – the Corolla Cross, Camry, and Corolla Altis – with cumulative sales at about 7,000 vehicles to date.

Meanwhile, Koji Sugita, general director of Honda Vietnam, said it is set to reduce carbon emissions by 46 per cent compared to 2019 and still aims to be carbon-neutral by 2050.

In order to achieve these targets, Honda Vietnam is applying two key strategies: strengthening energy-saving activities and developing clean energy sources. This year, it put into operation rooftop solar power systems at factories in the northern provinces of Vinh Phuc and Ha Nam, with a total capacity of 8MWp. They are contributing to reducing the use of national grid electricity by more than 7.5 million kWh per year, equivalent to about 4,700 tonnes of CO2 reduction annually.

Amid growing calls to decarbonise, other carmakers are adopting targets to reduce carbon emissions. Nissan is working to cut CO2 emissions per new car by 90 per cent by 2050, compared with 2000. Meanwhile, General Motors plans to cut emissions from all products and businesses to net-zero by 2040.

The enhancement of efficient implementation of green and clean energy is becoming an urgent task of many sectors and fields, with the transportation industry still producing a large amount of emissions, accounting for more than a quarter of the nation’s total.

Vietnam’s strategy on green energy transformation includes a shift towards 100 per cent electric-powered road vehicles by the middle of the century.

In addition to initiatives from businesses in reducing carbon footprints, car manufacturers are also expanding and switching to EVs or hybrids.

By the end of this year, it is expected that more hybrid models will be launched in Vietnam, such as the Honda CR-V hybrid, Toyota Innova HEV, and the Kia Sportage Hybrid.

Dam Hoang Phuc, director of the Automotive Engineering Programme at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, said that the use of hybrid vehicles in combination with biofuels would be appropriate and cost-effective for Vietnamese people today, and at the same time, a timely solution to help reduce harmful emissions in Vietnam.

“Not only proved to be suitable for the Vietnamese market, but hybrid cars are also favoured by customers in many countries around the world,” Phuc said.

Earlier in August, the Ministry of Transportation submitted its proposal to Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha on incentives for e-vehicle producers and users, including exemptions and reductions of registration and licence fees. In particular, users could receive financial aid of up to $1,000 for each EV bought.

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