tokyo as un climate conference delegates considered how to save the planet over the weekend in glasgow toyota motors chief executive was in japan racing an experimental hydrogen car a vehicle he says could preserve millions of auto jobs the colourful toyota yaris subcompact that akio toyoda steered around the okayama international circuit in western japan was powered by a converted corolla engine running on hydrogen making such a powerplant commercially viable could keep internal combustion engines running in a carbonfree world the enemy is carbon not internal combustion engines we shouldnt just focus on one technology but make use of the technologies we already posses toyoda said at the track carbon neutrality is not about one having a single choice but about keeping options open toyotas latest push into hydrogen tech comes as the worlds biggest carmaker joins the rush to win a share of the growing market for battery electric vehicles bev as the world tightens emission regulations to meet carboncutting pledges by 2025 toyota plans to have 15 ev models available and is investing 135 billion over a decade to expand battery production not only electric at the gathering in glasgow six major carmakers including general motors ford motor swedens volvo and daimler ags mercedesbenz signed declaration to phase out fossilfuel cars by 2040 toyota declined to join that group arguing that much of the world is not ready for a shift to evs another notable absence was germanys volkswagen we dont want to be seen as an ev maker but as a carbonneutral company toyota vice chairman shigeru hayakawa told reuters in an interview hayakawa likened the technological choice facing the auto industry to the late 19th century contest that pitted direct current electricity transmission against alternating current the stakes are high if the adoption of carbonfree fuels happens quickly that could bring the first battery ev boom to an end said takeshi miyao an analyst at auto industry research company carnorama in japan where mass layoffs are politically difficult hydrogens allure is that it would cause less disruption than a full switch to evs the japan automobile manufacturers association estimates the automotive industry employs 55 million people although toyota and other car makers are putting resources into building hydrogen fuel cell vehicles fcv none have shown the appetite toyota has for hydrogen engine technology challenging technology one problem that it the engine is not completely carbonfree and cannot therefore be classed as zeroemission although the byproduct of hydrogen and oxygen combustion is water a small amount of engine metal burns as well resulting in about 2 of the emissions of a gasoline engine the exhaust also contains traces of nitrogen oxide there is a carbon cost to building electric car batteries but evs do not pollute when operated hydrogen cars also need bulky pressurized tanks for their fuel much of the rear seat and trunk in toyotas hydrogen car was taken up by fuel tanks that blocked the rear window safety concerns meant toyota