Toyota chairman predicts battery electric cars will reach only 30%

World’s No 1 carmaker has pushed back against criticism of falling behind in the transition to electric vehicles

Toyota Motor chairman Akio Toyoda says global sales of electric cars will be limited.

Toyota Motor chairman Akio Toyoda believes battery electric vehicles will reach at most 30% market share, with the rest taken up by hybrids, hydrogen fuel cell, and fuel-burning cars.

With 1bn people in the world living without electricity, limiting their choices and ability to travel by making expensive cars isn’t the answer, the grandson of the company’s founder said during a business event, according to remarks published on the company’s media platform.