News
10,000 Toyota drivers sign petition urging company to commit to EVs: ‘Put our future before your profits’
Over 10,000 Toyota drivers have signed a petition with over 110,000 signatures urging the Japanese car maker to embrace electrification efforts and stop “lobbying to prevent electric vehicle mandates and clean air laws.”
10,500 of the 110,000 signatures come from current Toyota customers who are displeased with the company’s lack of commitment to developing sustainable powertrains. Toyota, which pushed against mandates for zero-emissions guidelines by 2035 in the past, committed to a 100 CO2 reduction in Europe by 2035. However, InfluenceMap analysts have stated Toyota is working harder than any other automotive company to stagnate progress on electric vehicles. It plans for only 14 percent of its total production to be electrified by the end of the decade. Toyota would miss its commitments to the Paris Agreement.
In November, InfluenceMap listed Toyota as the third-most negative and influential company against climate policies, following only ExxonMobil and Chevron. A month later, Toyota announced its plans to transition a minimum of 50 percent of its vehicles in Western Europe to zero-emissions by 2030:
“Moving beyond 2030, we expect to see further ZEV demand acceleration, and Toyota will be ready to achieve 100% CO2 reduction in all new vehicles by 2035 in Western Europe, assuming that sufficient electric charging and hydrogen refueling infrastructures are in place by then, together with the renewable energy capacity increases that will be required.” – Matt Harrison, President & CEO Toyota Motor Europe.
It is not up for much debate whether Toyota was committed to EVs a year ago because their plans simply did not include a dedicated lineup of sustainable vehicles. Instead, Toyota focused on hydrogen fuel cell powertrains.
Despite Toyota making changes to its EV plans and even unveiling the new bZ4X in mid-April, owners are still not wholly convinced of the company’s commitments and are urging the automaker to take a more serious tone when it comes to electrified options.
Toyota officially launches the bZ4X, its first full EV in nearly a decade
On a petition titled “Toyota is Fueling the Climate Crisis,” 110,044 people have signed as a recognition of their discontent with the company’s EV commitments. InfluenceMap’s latest review still has Toyota as the top carmaker lobbying against ambitious climate and clean air laws.
“Laggard automakers, such as Toyota (D) and Nissan (D+), which are forecast to have the lowest percentage of zero-emissions fleet-wide vehicle production in 2029 (14% and 22% respectively), also have the most negative climate policy engagement,” the report said.
Amongst the signees, comments regarding the company’s relatively lackluster plans have catalyzed a number of owners to consider axing the company altogether if it doesn’t make a more solidified commitment to sustainability. “We own a Prius and a Corolla and are loyal Toyota customers, however, we are disappointed and upset that Toyota is not supporting a zero-emissions target in the EU,” one person who signed the petition said. “Please put our future before your profits and support the EU emissions goals. Otherwise, many loyal customers like us will stop buying Toyotas and move to other brands that are more environmentally responsible.”
“I drive a Prius, and I am telling you to stop lobbying against extending our use of fossil fuels…You must realize you are ruining the future of our children. I will sell your car if you persist in this idiocy,” another comment said.
Toyota continues to put out EV production projections, which are lofty and, as the world’s largest car manufacturer, seem to be considerable. However, Toyota still maintains the fastest way to reduce CO2 emissions is through hybrid vehicles and not rapid electrification. Toyota has massive plans to expand to around 70 electrified models by 2025, but only 15 of these will be fully electric.
Seven of the fifteen will feature the bZ brand moniker. “his diverse portfolio of electrified products will help propel Toyota toward its goal of carbon neutrality by 2050,” the company said in April. “Globally, Toyota has put more than 20 million electrified models on the road – with a CO2 emissions reduction effect equivalent to the CO2 emissions reduction of over 5.5 million BEVs. Over the next nine years, Toyota will invest $70+ billion in electrified vehicles as a whole with the target to launch 3.5 million BEVs globally in 2030.”
I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.
News
Tesla discloses interesting collaboration partner for Supercharging
This BOXABL collaboration would be a great way to add a rest stop to a rural Supercharging location, and could lead to more of these chargers across the U.S.
Tesla disclosed an interesting collaboration partner in an SEC filing, which looks like an indication of a potential project at Supercharger sites.
Tesla said on Tuesday in the filing that it was entering an agreement with BOXABL to design and build a Micromenity structure. Simply put, this is a modular building, usually a few hundred square feet in size, and it has been seen at Superchargers in Europe.
In Magnant, France, Tesla opened a small building at a Supercharger that is available to all EV owners. There are snacks and drinks inside, including ice cream, coffee, a gaming console, and restrooms. It gives people an opportunity to get up and out of their cars while charging.
This building was not built by BOXABL, but instead by bk World Lounges. It is likely the final Supercharging stop before people get to Paris, as it is located 250 kilometers, or 155 miles, from the City of Light.
Voir cette publication sur Instagram
Magnant has 56 stalls, so it is a large Supercharging stop compared to most. The building could be a sign of things to come, especially as Tesla has opened up larger Supercharger stations along major roadways.
It is for just a single building, as the Scope of Work within the filing states “a comprehensive package for one Micromenity building.”
NEWS: BOXABL, a company that creates modular, prefabricated buildings, has entered into an agreement with @Tesla.
This is Tesla formally contracting BOXABL to design, engineer, and build a pilot “Micromenity” structure, a compact, modular building unit.
While some info in the… pic.twitter.com/RabJczGpEp
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) December 9, 2025
Superchargers are commonly located at gas stations, shopping centers, and other major points of interest. However, there are some stops that are isolated from retail or entertainment.
This BOXABL collaboration would be a great way to add a rest stop to a rural Supercharging location, and could lead to more of these chargers across the U.S.
Tesla has done a lot of really great things for Supercharging this year.
Along with widespread expansion, the company launched the “Charging Passport” this week, opened the largest Supercharger in the world in Lost Hills, California, with 168 chargers, opened the Tesla Diner, a drive-in movie restaurant in Los Angeles, and initiated access to the infrastructure to even more automakers.
Elon Musk
Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirms Robotaxi safety monitor removal in Austin: here’s when
Musk has made the claim about removing Safety Monitors from Tesla Robotaxi vehicles in Austin three times this year, once in September, once in October, and once in November.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed on Tuesday at the xAI Hackathon that the company would be removing Safety Monitors from Robotaxis in Austin in just three weeks.
This would meet Musk’s timeline from earlier this year, as he has said on several occasions that Tesla Robotaxis would have no supervision in Austin by the end of 2025.
On Tuesday, Musk said:
“Unsupervised is pretty much solved at this point. So there will be Tesla Robotaxis operating in Austin with no one in them. Not even anyone in the passenger seat in about three weeks.”
Musk has made the claim about removing Safety Monitors from Tesla Robotaxi vehicles in Austin three times this year, once in September, once in October, and once in November.
In September, he said:
“Should be no safety driver by end of year.”
The safety driver is just there for the first few months to be extra safe.
Should be no safety driver by end of year.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 4, 2025
On the Q3 Earnings Call in October, he said:
“We are expecting ot have no safety drivers in at least large parts of Austin by the end of this year.”
Finally, in November, he reiterated the timeline in a public statement at the Shareholder Meeting:
“I expect Robotaxis to operate without safety drivers in large parts of Austin this year.”
Currently, Tesla uses Safety Monitors in Austin in the passenger’s seat on local roads. They will sit in the driver’s seat for highway routes. In the Bay Area ride-hailing operation, there is always a Safety Monitor in the driver’s seat.
Three weeks would deliver on the end-of-year promise, cutting it close, beating it by just two days. However, it would be a tremendous leap forward in the Robotaxi program, and would shut the mouths of many skeptics who state the current iteration is no different than having an Uber.
Tesla has also expanded its Robotaxi fleet this year, but the company has not given exact figures. Once it expands its fleet, even more progress will be made in Tesla’s self-driving efforts.
News
SpaceX reportedly mulling IPO, eyeing largest of all time: report
“I do want to try to figure out some way for Tesla shareholders to participate in SpaceX. I’ve been giving a lot of thought to how to give people access to SpaceX stock,” Musk said.
SpaceX is reportedly mulling an initial public offering, eyeing what would be the largest valuation at the time of availability of all time, a new report from Bloomberg said on Tuesday.
It is one of many reports involving one of Elon Musk’s companies and a massive market move, as this is not the first time we have seen reports of an IPO by SpaceX. Musk himself has also dispelled other reports in the past of a similar nature, including an xAI funding round.
SpaceX and Musk have yet to comment on the report. In the past, untrue reports were promptly replied to by the CEO; this has not yet gained any response, which is a good sign in terms of credibility.
However, he said just a few days ago that stories of this nature are inaccurate:
“There has been a lot of press claiming SpaceX is raising money at $800B, which is not accurate. SpaceX has been cash flow positive for many years and does periodic stock buybacks twice a year to provide liquidity for employees and investors. Valuation increments are a function of progress with Starship and Starlink and securing global direct-to-cell spectrum that greatly increases our addressable market. And one other thing that is arguably most significant by far.”
There has been a lot of press claiming @SpaceX is raising money at $800B, which is not accurate.
SpaceX has been cash flow positive for many years and does periodic stock buybacks twice a year to provide liquidity for employees and investors.
Valuation increments are a…
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 6, 2025
Musk has discussed a potential IPO for SpaceX in recent months, as the November 6 shareholder meeting, as he commented on the “downsides” of having a public company, like litigation exposure, quarterly reporting pressures, and other inconveniences.
Nevertheless, Musk has also said he wants there to be a way for Tesla shareholders to get in on the action. At the meeting in early November, he said:
“I do want to try to figure out some way for Tesla shareholders to participate in SpaceX. I’ve been giving a lot of thought to how to give people access to SpaceX stock.”
Additionally, he added:
“Maybe at some point., SpaceX should become a public company despite all the downsides of being public.”
Musk has been historically reluctant to take SpaceX public, at times stating it could become a barrier to colonizing Mars. That does not mean it will not happen.
Bloomberg’s report cites multiple unidentified sources who are familiar with the matter. They indicate to the publication that SpaceX wants to go public in mid-to-late 2026, and it wants to raise $30 billion at a valuation of around $1.5 trillion.
This is not the first time SpaceX has discussed an IPO; we reported on it nine years ago. We hope it is true, as the community has spoken for a long time about having access to SpaceX stock. Legendary investor Ron Baron is one of the lucky few to be a SpaceX investor, and said it, along with Tesla, is a “lifetime investment.”
Tesla bull Ron Baron reveals $100M SpaceX investment, sees 3-5x return on TSLA
The primary driver of SpaceX’s value is Starlink, the company’s satellite internet service. Starlink contributes 60-70 percent of SpaceX’s revenue, meaning it is the primary value engine. Launch services, like Falcon 9 contracts, and the development of Starship, also play supporting roles.
Tesla discloses interesting collaboration partner for Supercharging
Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirms Robotaxi safety monitor removal in Austin: here’s when
