Much of world not ready for electric cars: Toyota
Large parts of the world are not ready for zero-emission vehicles.
That's according to Toyota on Thursday (November 11).
The world's largest automaker made the announcement to explain why it did not sign a pledge agreed at this week's UN climate summit to phase out fossil-fuel cars by 2040.
Toyota said it was ready to accelerate the drive towards zero-emission vehicles in suitable locations with energy and charging infrastructure.
But it said that many parts of Asia, Africa and the Middle East were not yet ready for zero-emission transport.
According to a study by the Munich Mobility Show there is a huge global divide in electric car ownership.
Sales have soared in the EU, China and U.S.
But last year in Africa - with a population of 1.2 billion people - only South Africa registered any electric vehicles, just over 1,500 in all.
Germany's Volkswagen joined Toyota in not signing the Glasgow Declaration on Zero Emission Cars.
Among nations, the U.S., China and Germany also refused to sign.
But six major carmakers were on the list of signatories.
General Motors, Ford, Volvo and Daimler's Mercedes-Benz were among them.
