Japan Wants to Make All New Cars Hybrid or Electric by 2050

One of the world’s automotive juggernauts wants to make all new cars hybrid or electric by 2050. The Japanese Economy Ministry panel – which included industry heavies like Toyota, Nissan, and Honda – announced the ambitious goal Tuesday.

Japan remains firmly entrenched as one of the world’s top automotive giants, so a complete pivot away from the internal combustion engine would reverberate globally.

"Japan would like to contribute to achieve zero emissions on a global scale by spreading electric vehicles worldwide. That's a goal only Japan, home to the top level of the auto industry, can set," said Hiroshige Seko, minister of economy, trade and industry.

Not coincidentally, the panel also wants to reduce greenhouse gases by 90% within the same timeframe.

But the really shocking part is that Japan’s automotive titans are forming a joint venture to acquire more cobalt – an essential ingredient in electric car batteries that will skyrocket in demand should Japan hope to hit its 2050 goal.

"The new entity is aimed to disperse risks among battery users for securing cobalt supply which is dominated by DRC and at a time when growth rate of cobalt's demand is still uncertain,” claimed a government source.

Read more about this new goal/joint venture here: https://japantoday.com/category/politics/japan-aims-to-make-all-passenger-cars-electric-by-2050-panel-report