The Future Mobility Forum featured several distinguished participants: Masahiro Moro (Mazda CEO), Yuki Matsuzawa, an environmental and sustainability consultant, Morley Robertson, an international journalist, Akira Yoshino, winner of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for inventing the lithium-ion battery, and Takao Kato, President and CEO of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation.
2024.12.04
CEO Moro Outlines Mazda's Roadmap for Carbon Neutrality at Japan Mobility Show
As Japan’s Ministry of the Environment sets the goal of national carbon neutrality by 2050, Mazda is taking decisive action. In December 2023, Mazda announced interim targets in its roadmap to achieving net zero by 2050, and has already begun implementing measures to make this vision a reality.
In October 2024, Mazda Motor Corporation’s President and CEO Masahiro Moro joined a panel discussion at the Japan Mobility Show Bizweek to discuss the future of mobility. Titled "Future Mobility Forum,” the panel brought together industry experts to explore what lies ahead for mobility. Here, we share Moro’s vision following the roadmap announcement, followed by an exclusive interview with the CEO himself.
- Global Dynamics and Carbon Neutrality: Decarbonization Efforts Amid Changing World Conditions.
- Japan's Automotive Industry Multi-Pathway Strategy
- Carbon-Neutral Innovation at Mazda: From Carbon Neutral Fuels to Carbon Capture
- Exclusive Interview with CEO Moro: New Connections Through Carbon-Neutral Fuel
Global Dynamics and Carbon Neutrality: Decarbonization Efforts Amid Changing World Conditions.


From left: Yuki Matsuzawa, Morley Robertson, Akira Yoshino, Masahiro Moro, Takao Kato.
The discussion opened with the theme "Going Carbon Neutral: Ideal versus Reality," focusing on a striking statistic: while there are over 1.4 billion vehicles in circulation worldwide, electric vehicles (EVs) account for only about 1% of this total.


Battery EV Adoption Varies by Country.BEVs Market Share in Europe (Jan to Aug 2024)
Journalist Morley Robertson highlighted how the impact of geopolitical instability in the Middle East and Russia has contributed to soaring energy prices.
"People with inflation-protected assets are moving towards EVs and options that are eco-friendly or carbon neutral," Robertson explained. "But every day consumers facing rising electricity costs, gas prices, and utility bills, are questioning why they should buy an EV at all."


Robertson cites the energy issue as a major factor in both the U.S. presidential election and the recent German state parliamentary elections.
Moro picked up this thread, advocating for a broader approach beyond battery EVs.
"It’s true that recent innovations in lithium-ion battery technology have positioned battery EVs as a promising solution for achieving net zero. But, Robertson makes an excellent point about real-world issues,” Moro said. “We’re hearing from consumers about the challenges they face—different policies in different countries, varying incentives, limited sharing infrastructure and price concerns. Unless we can align these conditions across different markets, many believe that widespread adoption will take time."
Yet, global warming isn’t slowing down. That’s why I believe we need to take a more comprehensive approach, using all of our available technologies and collaborating across industries to achieve real, practical carbon reduction from the ground up."


Moro (center) highlights the importance of diversifying approaches to carbon neutrality as opposed to focusing solely on development of battery EVs.
Yuki Matsuzawa, an environmental and sustainability consultant, raised two key points: the importance of assessing environmental impact across the entire lifecycle of a vehicle and the significance of resource circulation.
“When we look at manufacturing, battery EVs are said to emit twice the CO2 of that for gasoline-powered vehicles," Matsuzawa shared. "Research also shows that depending on how power is generated and driving distance, battery EVs may not always have the environmental advantage. We also need to consider how we’re sourcing the raw materials for batteries. Resources such as lithium and cobalt come from just a handful of countries and geopolitical instability risks disrupting supply chains, making resource circulation even more important. Yet as it stands, the recycling rate for batteries remains low. I believe that developing an effective recycling system is crucial."


Environmental and sustainability consultant Yuki Matsuzawa discusses the impact of battery EVs using data.
Moro responded, reflecting on these points.
“On resource circulation, this is not something one company can solve alone—society as a whole needs to work toward a circular economy, where we maximize value while efficiently using and recycling resources.
“Looking at the lifecycle perspective, we’ve now achieved a 99% recycling rate for vehicles. This didn’t happen overnight, it’s the result of years of collective effort to make vehicle recycling economically viable. Now, as more EV batteries enter the market, the industry faces its next challenge: developing technical solutions to recycle and reuse collected batteries.


Mazda’s lifecycle assessment approach.
Japan's Automotive Industry Multi-Pathway Strategy
Japan's automotive industry is taking a diversified approach to carbon neutrality. Moro explained the concept behind the Multi-Pathway Strategy.
"Instead of focusing on one single solution, this strategy involves using multiple technologies to transition to carbon neutrality. For example, combining highly efficient internal combustion engines with electric devices. Japan's automotive industry develops vehicles with a range of unique powertrains (components that convert engine power into movement including motors and batteries), from internal combustion engines to hybrids, battery EVs, and plug-in hybrids. This means we can offer a comprehensive product lineup with everything from micro cars and passenger vehicles, to heavy-duty vehicles, and motorcycles.
"By using Japan's technological strengths this way, we can better align solutions to customers' needs, wants, and lifestyles. Essentially, the Multi-Pathway Strategy is a practical approach to driving change that gives multiple options rather than offering a single solution.


A multi-solution approach allows Mazda to adapt technology to the specific needs and environmental conditions of different countries and regions.
Are EVs really the optimal solution? Moro tackled this question.
"Electricity has a significantly lower energy density compared to liquid fuels like gasoline—approximately 1/40 to 1/80—which is why portable liquid fuels are generally considered more suitable for heavy vehicles like aircraft, ships, and cars. At Mazda we believe that using carbon-neutral fuels alongside other solutions is how we best can leverage Japan's technological strengths.
Matsuzawa expanded on this perspective, emphasizing the role of remanufacturing alongside the Multi-Pathway Strategy.
“We also need to think about extending the lifespan of existing vehicles. Research shows that gasoline-powered vehicles remanufactured with 50% original parts can actually have a lower environmental impact than electric vehicles. In the United States, China, and Europe, they’re taking a strategic approach to remanufacturing, using it to secure stable raw material supplies, reduce costs, and create employment opportunities.”
Carbon-Neutral Innovation at Mazda: From Carbon Neutral Fuels to Carbon Capture
The push for carbon neutrality is driving innovation which will ultimately open new doors for business growth. Moro and Kato shared their companies’ initiatives in this space, illustrating how the automotive industry is approaching this challenge.
“One initiative at Mitsubishi Motors is proactively assisting customers in purchasing home solar panel systems that allow for power management," Kato shared. “These systems allow homes and vehicles to share power: on days with a lot of sunlight, homes can charge cars; on days with less sunlight, cars can power homes or feed electricity back into the grid during peak demand periods. We expect to demand grow for this kind of energy management system in the future.
"We're also piloting the repurposing of used EV batteries for street lighting, with commercialization planned in the current fiscal year. We believe in the importance of collaborating beyond our own organization, to work with other businesses, power utilities, and local governments.”
Moro followed, outlining some of Mazda's initiatives:
"Since 2021, we've been testing carbon-neutral fuel in Japan's Super Endurance racing series. Our research focuses on microalgae, which can produce both fuel and a protein for health foods. We're also using microalgae in factory wastewater purification.
“A carbon-neutral fuel derived from microalgae can make a real difference in reducing CO2 emissions. With around 83 million vehicles in Japan, adding just 3% of this fuel into current fuel supplies could make the equivalent of 2.5 million vehicles carbon-free. We’re also working on an ambitious project that combines this development with carbon capture technology to collect and store CO2. Looking ahead, our ambition is to develop vehicles that actively reduce atmospheric CO2 the more they're driven, achieving what we call a “CO2 negative” state.


A display at Mazda's booth showing the process of converting oil derived from microalgae into fuel.
Journalist Robertson was inspired by Mitsubishi Motors' repurposing initiatives, connecting these initiatives to daily life. "My wife has this beautiful habit of upcycling old clothes and sewing them into something new. This culture of not letting anything go to waste is deeply rooted in Japan," Robertson reflected.
“It’s amazing to think that a streetlight might once have been a car battery. When sustainability becomes visible in our daily lives like this, we begin to see our own individual role in achieving carbon neutrality."
Nobel laureate Yoshino pointed to the ozone layer’s recovery as a model of successful international cooperation.
“Thanks to the collaborative efforts of many nations, the ozone hole gradually began shrinking around 2000, and is on track for complete recovery by 2050," Yoshino explained. “The UN considers this one of humanity's greatest achievements in overcoming a major global challenge. I believe we will achieve similar success with our next shared challenge—reaching carbon zero by 2050."


Nobel laureate Yoshino discusses the success of international cooperation in addressing the ozone hole issue.
The Future Mobility Forum provided an opportunity to bring together voices from industry, journalism, and science to approach carbon neutrality from multiple perspectives.
In closing, Matsuzawa shared this reflection. "At forums like this, discussions often focus on how Japanese manufacturing can prevail. However, today's conversations were notably different, emphasizing how Japanese manufacturing can contribute to the world."
The message was clear: the path to carbon neutrality lies not in competition, but in co-creation and collaboration across borders and industries.


The session was so popular that some attendees had to stand.
Exclusive Interview with CEO Moro: New Connections Through Carbon-Neutral Fuel
Following the session, CEO Moro gave an exclusive interview with MAZDA MIRAI BASE, reflecting on the panel and delving deeper into Mazda's strategy.
Today's panel discussion emphasized how battery EVs aren't the only solution, and the importance of reducing CO2 across the entire lifecycle. What are your thoughts on this?


Moro:
Mazda has taken a comprehensive lifecycle approach to manufacturing since the 2000s. We consider both safety and environmental impact at every stage—from resource extraction and transportation to assembly, delivery, and recycling. For the past two years, media outlets have frequently asked us why we weren't directing all our resources toward battery EVs, which they saw as the definitive technology of the future. However, with the recent slowdown in battery EV growth, I believe people are starting to better understand the reasoning behind our approach.
The panel also discussed Mazda’s research into microalgae as a carbon-neutral fuel source. While there are many challenges to face before practical implementation, reducing the cost appears to be the most significant for widespread adoption?
Moro:
We expect that as demand increases, economies of scale will naturally drive down the cost of carbon-neutral fuel. However, energy companies can't commit to major investments without reasonable demand forecasts. That's precisely why we're trialing this technology on the road—to prove there’s viable demand potential.


The specially modified Mazda CX-80 on display at Mazda's booth is being used in carbon-neutral biofuel driving demonstrations.
Perhaps what we need is a shift in consumer mindset to one that’s willing to opt for the more expensive carbon-neutral fuel, for the sake of the planet?
Moro:
That’s certainly part of it. Meaningful change requires cooperation across the whole of society. Take Japan’s plastic bag policy, for example. A few years ago, convenience stores began charging for plastic bags following the Ministry of the Environment's campaign to reduce plastic waste. So, it’s not just about consumer choices—government initiatives play a significant role.
Many might wonder why Mazda, a manufacturer of cars, is investing in developing a carbon-neutral fuel. What is the motivation there?
Moro:
We have no intention of becoming an energy manufacturer—making cars has and will always be the passion of everyone at Mazda. However, we do recognize that in developing carbon-neutral fuel, we create diverse business opportunities. This can attract startups, innovators, entrepreneurs and more to foster a broader ecosystem. While the automotive industry has traditionally taken a self-contained approach, we envision a future with connections that cross industry boundaries.
Finally, what do you believe is most important to achieve carbon neutrality?
Moro:
Carbon neutrality is not something that car manufacturers can achieve alone. It’s a challenge not just for society as a whole, but something we as individuals need to tackle. The best approach is for each of us to consider how this issue connects to our own lifestyles, and what we can do about it.
This could be anything from upcycling old clothes as Robertson mentioned, choosing remanufactured cars as Matsuzawa suggested, or as CEO Kato pointed out, finding joy in repurposing resources.
All our actions are connected, and when consumers, government, and businesses collaborate and recognize these connections, that's when society begins to see real progress toward carbon neutrality."
The most important point, it seems, is to be aware of these connections in our daily lives. Thank you very much for your time today, CEO Moro.
From the Editorial Team
What can nations, businesses, and individuals do to address climate change, a challenge facing all humanity? Dr. Yoshino's example of the ozone layer recovery gives us hope of a solution, and when experts from different fields come together to share ideas and learn through trial and error, we begin to see a path forward.
At MAZDA MIRAI BASE we aim to connect those working toward the common goal of carbon neutrality through our content, enriching life in motion for those we serve.