Automakers Talk And Talk And Talk, But For Most, "Low Carbon" Models Make Up Less Than 1% Of Sales

Automakers are failing to drive a rapid shift towards low-carbon transport, according to a new analysis, indicating that the industry is not aligned with the Paris Agreement goal of keeping global warming below 2 degrees C. That study, released earlier this month by CDP and the World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA), looked at 25 leading auto manufacturers and graded each company on its overall alignment with the transition to a low-carbon economy. No company managed to score an “A” grade, and most of the manufacturers continue to produce fleets made almost entirely of gasoline-powered vehicles.

While low-carbon options like plug-in hybrids and battery-electric vehicles may be on the market, manufacturers are not prioritizing them. For most of the companies analyzed, low-carbon vehicles made up less than 1 percent of annual sales. The study suggests that automakers are not doing enough to reshape their business model around de-carbonization. In addition to cleaning up their fleets, researchers recommend that auto manufacturers appoint a climate expert to their boards, address their trade associations lobbying against cleaner transport, and work with policymakers to create incentives and infrastructure necessary to shift markets away from polluting transport.

“The building blocks are in place for a shift to low carbon vehicles and business models, but progress is being stalled by lack of market incentives and leadership. Governments and companies must work together to make low carbon vehicles accessible and desirable to consumers, that’s the critical step,” said Tony Rooke, Global Technical Director at CDP, a nonprofit which runs a global environmental disclosure system.

Automakers tend to tout their environmental performance and their lineup of alternative fuel vehicles on their websites. But according to the CDP and WBA analysis, only five companies currently meet the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) criteria for reducing their emissions across their fleet that aligns with the Paris goals. These companies include Groupe PSA, Renault, Ford, Mazda, and Nissan. “The vast majority of car companies aren’t hitting their current targets or setting new ones for the future,” said Vicky Sins, Climate and Energy Benchmark Lead at WBA. “Unless that changes right now, they won’t hit the Paris goals and will face disruption to their business in the future. The transport industry is responsible for 25 percent of global emissions from fossil fuels so this should be a major concern to the industry, governments, investors, and the planet.”

EDIT

https://www.desmogblog.com/2019/12/20/car-companies-accelerating-climate-change-failing-put-brakes-emissions