EV Bullying Backfire: James Carter in Review

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- June 3, 2026

“Bullying about a desired future to try to get there suggests that the author dreams on a thin cloud. Toyota has benefitted from not plunging into the politically correct, economically incorrect EV bubble like so many others, including Ford Motor Company, the subject of yesterday’s post.”

James Carter, self-described “strategist, futurist, leader, influencer,” does not know his history. In a recent post, he belittled Akio Toyoda, Chairman, Toyota Motor Corporation:

In what has to be some of the most stunning comments of head-in-the-sand management during industry disruption I’ve seen, Akio Toyota has said ICE engines can’t go because too many people are employed making them. The implications of these comments are rather stunning: We have to double down on old technology because too many people could lose their jobs in Japan.

To understand why this is a terrible strategy, let’s conduct a short thought experiment: Pretend you are able to travel in time. What advice would you give to the following people?

1) Blackberry employees in 2007

2) Kodak employees in 2005

3) Fax machine sales people in 2002

4) Newspaper journalists in 2000

5) A trans Atlantic ocean liner crew in 1955

6) Steam train mechanics in the late 1940s

7) Farriers and saddle makers in 1905

Carter reverses reality with his recommendation:

The answers are all the same: get out ASAP and retrain in the new industry that is about to kill your job. The advice certainly ISN’T jump up and down to hold onto the old technology. We know exactly what happens if you do – forces far greater than you will send your company bankrupt and you’ll be out of a job, along with many others.

After the above nonsequitur, the self-described “expert in new mobility” continued:

The reality is consumers make purchase decisions based on whether a product is right for them, not whether it keeps someone employed or not. The shift of consumer preference towards EVs has been happening for a decade, and it won’t slow on Akio Toyoda’s account.

For Japan, this strategy is a massive danger. Not only will hundreds of thousands of people suddenly become unemployed, they’ll have no job to go too because OEMs did not invest quickly enough in EVs…. The point is this: working for an industry laggard during a massive technological shift is a very dangerous place to be for your career. If you are, reskill quickly and jump.

Final Comment

Bullying about a desired future to try to get there suggests that the author dreams on a thin cloud. Toyota has benefitted from not plunging into the politically correct, economically incorrect EV bubble like so many others, including Ford Motor Company, the subject of yesterday’s post.

Here is an AI listing of the automaker losses (Mr. Carter, please do your own research):

• Stellantis: Took an estimated $26.2 billion write-down/charge to unwind or shift its EV strategies amid slowing adoption rates.
• Ford: Lost billions in its specific EV division (losing $4.8 billion in 2025 alone) and recorded cumulative write-off charges of roughly $17.4 billion to $19.5 billion.
• General Motors: Registered over $7 billion in charges for its pullback on previous EV production, development, and battery plant targets.
• General Motors: Registered over $7 billion in charges for its pullback on previous EV production, development, and battery plant targets.
• Honda: Announced major EV model cancellations and incurred extensive restructuring costs, contributing to an overall annual loss.
• Pure-Play EV Startups: Newer manufacturers have burned through billions trying to scale production. Rivian and Lucid combined for over $30 billion in historical losses.
• Other Startups: Companies like Fisker, Faraday Future, and Canoo have consistently operated at steep losses, with several struggling to survive or facing bankruptcy.