Mazda says EVs “don’t actually save the planet”, urges rethink on well-to-wheel emissions

Mazda’s world finance chief has questioned the auto trade’s blind push towards electrical automobiles (EVs), arguing the dialog round sustainability has develop into too targeted on tailpipe CO2 emissions and never the whole carbon footprint from manufacturing to disposal.

Talking on the 2025 Japan Mobility Present yesterday, Mazda Motor Company’s Consultant Director and CFO Jeff Guyton advised Australian journalists the corporate’s technique is pushed by “real-world” vitality use, not headlines about zero tailpipe emissions.

“The push began as a result of it’s very simple to say, look, no tailpipe. And naturally, we wish much less carbon within the environment. Sure, we wish fewer greenhouse gasoline, sure,” he mentioned.

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“However the elementary mistake we made as a society, I feel, is we didn’t have a look at well-to-wheel.”

Guyton mentioned Japan’s dependence on imported vitality has lengthy formed Mazda’s pragmatic strategy to emissions discount – an strategy that values effectivity and reuse throughout all applied sciences somewhat than betting solely on battery-electrics.

“Japan imports considerably all our uncooked supplies and our vitality. Japan has all the time been targeted on reuse, recycling – use much less stuff, use much less vitality,” he mentioned.

“So regardless of the kind is, there’s a really rational strategy of utilizing much less vitality. So EV doesn’t… you already know, now we have to make our electrical energy right here. Lots of it comes from fossil gas. That doesn’t actually save the planet.”