The Japanese authorities are planning to ban sales of new gasoline-only cars in the mid-2030s as part of efforts to reduce carbon emissions, media reported on Thursday, citing officials
TOKYO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd December, 2020) The Japanese authorities are planning to ban sales of new gasoline-only cars in the mid-2030s as part of efforts to reduce carbon emissions, media reported on Thursday, citing officials.
According to the Kyodo news agency, the news comes as the government tries to implement Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's goal of reducing the country's greenhouse gas emissions effectively to zero by 2050, including through decarbonization in the automobile industry.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is expected to include this target in its report that is to be released before the end of the year. This will follow a meeting with experts and representatives of car manufacturers to discuss a policy of reducing the use of gasoline vehicles, the publication said.
The ban on gasoline-only car sales means a shift to all-electric, fuel cell, and gasoline-electric and plug-in hybrid cars, according to the NHK broadcaster. Japanese automakers have shown strength in producing electric and hybrid vehicles.
The broadcaster notes that domestic sales of low- or zero-emission vehicles in 2019 made up just under 40 percent of all new car sales.
