When people think of a 'green' car, the first that pops into most people's minds is the Toyota Prius - the world's most successful hybrid auto. Toyota has been riding a wave of consumer and media popularity, aided by celebrity endorsements from Prius owners like Leonardo diCaprio and Cameron Diaz. And, at 60mpg in city driving, there's plenty to set it apart from the typical U.S. energy hog.

But, behind the scenes, all is not as may initially appear with Toyota. Instead of using the popularity of their enviro-flagship, the current climate of heightened environmental awareness and their new status of having overtaken Detroit's General Motors as the world's biggest auto manufacturer to rachet up the rate of progress on even greater fuel efficiencies, Toyota has been quietly working in the opposite direction - teaming up with U.S. automakers in moves that seem to endorse the accusations made by the 'Who Killed the Electric Car' people (i.e. profits before progress - actions that blatantly contradict the market-forces-will-solve-all philosophy of some).

Congress is negotiating an energy bill that could raise the fuel economy standard to 35 miles per gallon, a move that would save America 1.2 million barrels of oil each day by 2020 -- more than we import from Saudi Arabia. But Toyota has joined forces with General Motors, Ford, Chrysler and other automakers in an attempt to derail what would be the first improvement in fuel economy standards in nearly 20 years.

The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers -- the powerful lobbying group that includes Toyota -- is fighting against the strongest fuel economy standards under consideration by Congress, insisting that a 35 mpg average for cars and trucks is "unattainable." Instead, Toyota and other automakers support a much weaker industry-written bill that simply would not do enough to break America's addiction to oil.

Why is Toyota, a company that can make a car that gets 55 miles per gallon today, fighting a 35 mpg standard? - NRDC

Indeed, a recent Celsias post questioned why auto makers cannot make cars that are, like certain (standard, non-hybrid) vehicles produced over twenty years ago, even more efficient than the Prius. Since the eighties, engine design tweaks that could have lent themselves to improved fuel economy have been funneled into greater power output instead. In other words, the Prius could be even more efficient than it is today. But, even putting this concern aside, as the NRDC quote above astutely puts it, if a Prius can manage 50-60mpg now, why would Toyota balk at across-the-board legislation that would enforce a 35mpg standard whilst keeping auto manufacturers on a level playing field?

Thomas Friedman from the New York Times has this to say:

Now why would Toyota, which has used the Prius to brand itself as the greenest car company, pull such a stunt? Is it because Toyota wants to slow down innovation in Detroit on more energy efficient vehicles, which Toyota already dominates, while also keeping mileage room to build giant pickup trucks, like the Toyota Tundra, at the gas-guzzler end of the U.S. market?

“Toyota wants to keep its green halo and beat G.M. in the big trucks, too,” said Deron Lovaas, vehicles expert at the Natural Resources Defense Council....

Representative Edward Markey, the Massachusetts Democrat who heads the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, said to me that Toyota could meet a 35 m.p.g. standard in Japan and Europe today, “but here — even though they bombard Americans with ads about how energy efficient Toyota is — they are fighting the 35 m.p.g. standard for 2020.”

Mr. Markey said he has tried to persuade Toyota that “a lot of people have bought Priuses or Camry hybrids to fight global warming and reduce our dependence on foreign oil” and “they would be shocked to find out” that Toyota is lobbying against the highest m.p.g. standards for America.

Sad. If Toyota were to take the lead on this front, it could enhance its own reputation and spur the whole U.S. auto industry to become more globally competitive. Hey, Toyota, if you are going to become the biggest U.S. automaker, could you at least bring to America your best practices — the ones that made you the world leader — instead of prolonging our worst practices? - NY Times

What can you do about it? How about sending a message to Shigeru Hayakawa, Toyota President and CEO? You might even want to make a comment on the Toyota Blog for good measure. Oh, and why not hold off on that Prius purchase for the moment....

And they say business will get us out of this enviro-mess. Yeah, right.