A new assessment of the decarbonization plans of the five largest incumbent manufacturers of light-duty vehicles from the New Climate Institute (NCI) took a close look at automakers’ transition to electric vehicles, the efficiency of their electric vehicles, and their efforts to decarbonize critical elements of their supply chains.
As part of their annual ‘Corporate Climate Responsibility Monitor’ assessing the transparency, ambition and effectiveness of climate strategies, NCI is releasing an analysis of the automobile sector featuring five of the world’s largest manufacturers of light-duty vehicles: Ford, General Motors, Stellantis, Toyota and Volkswagen.
“Some of the largest incumbent manufacturers of light-duty vehicles have largely failed to adapt their business models promptly and effectively to key transitions within the sector,” said Frederic Hans from the NewClimate Institute. “This increasingly raises urgent questions about their future viability amid a rapidly evolving automotive market and the pressing need for decarbonisation in passenger transport.”
The findings were closely aligned with the results of the annual Lead the Charge Leaderboard, validating the results of both studies and continuing to build pressure on automakers to take the steps necessary to meet their own publicly stated climate goals.
The NCI assessment found:
- Unambitious emissions reductions targets: The 2030 emission reduction targets of the companies assessed remain critically insufficient. Only Stellantis has made any progress in improving the ambition of these targets.
- Lack of integrity: Beyond 2030, four out of five automakers’ longer-term carbon neutrality and net-zero pledges lack integrity due to the absence of concrete emission reduction commitments substantiating these pledges and an overall lack of specificity.
- Sales targets in jeopardy: Progress in increasing the shares of battery electric vehicle sales over the past five years has been mixed among the five manufacturers, casting doubt on their ability to meet their 2030 sales targets – let alone achieve sales shares in line with a 1.5°C-compatible pathway.
The assessment also looked at the supply chain decarbonization commitments and practices of these companies, with findings that mirrored the Lead the Charge Leaderboard. These findings included:
- Uneven commitments on green steel and aluminum: Of the five manufacturers, only GM and Ford have set specific targets to procure 10% near-zero steel and aluminium by 2030 as part of their participation in the First Mover Coalition.
- Lack of transparency on MOUs: Though non-binding Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) with steel makers provide a helpful market signal to steelmakers, NCI’s analysis of the latest automaker sustainability reports reveals a lack of transparency regarding progress updates or any further implementation step related to these MOUs.
- Lack of action on aluminum: NCI could not identify any MoUs related to near-zero aluminium.
- No targets on battery decarbonization: Low-carbon battery procurement and in-house production remains largely overlooked in manufacturers’ decarbonisation strategies to date, with none of the assessed manufacturers communicating specific targets or comprehensive measures to reduce the carbon footprint of batteries – whether produced in-house or procured from suppliers.
“Ford touts a veneer of climate leadership, but in reality Ford has done little to put its money where its mouth is and make real investments in cleaning up its steel supply chain,” said Abhilasha Bhola, Auto Supply Chain Campaign Director at Public Citizen. “Toyota has done even less. Not only has it not made any meaningful commitments to electrification, or supply-chain decarbonization, Toyota has held back the entire auto industry by lobbying to gut critical climate legislation.”
Based on their assessment, NCI had several recommendations for automakers and policymakers:
- Transition-specific alignment targets are the way ahead: Automakers should set transition- specific alignment targets for the phase out of internal combustion engines and other key transitions such as the procurement of near-zero steel and aluminium.
- Window of opportunity to create better guidance for target setting: Major standard setters have a critical opportunity to further develop their accounting and target-setting approaches, guiding automakers more effectively along the sector’s key transitions. The SBTi’s latest draft standard for the automobile sector, for example, builds on geographically differentiated sales targets for low-emission vehicles but could pilot similar targets for other key transitions.
- Urgent need for reliable, science-based and comprehensive regulation: With a long history of scattered and inconclusive regulations across jurisdictions, regulation is needed to incentivise the largest automotive manufacturers to transition their business models, foster innovation and guide a holistic shift towards low-emissions mobility. Priorities for improved regulation include strengthening existing regulation on phasing out internal combustion engines, including full lifecycle impacts or supporting accessibility of electric mobility.
“It is no surprise that, yet again, General Motors (GM) is found to be falling short of its 2040 carbon neutrality pledge,” said Matthew Groch, Senior Director for Decarbonization, Mighty Earth. “Despite bold headlines, GM has consistently walked back its EV and climate commitments. Even GM’s First Movers Coalition pledge to source 10% near-zero steel and aluminum by 2030 lacks any credible implementation plan or transparency. GM’s vague commitments to phasing out ICE vehicles and decarbonizing its material supply chain for materials like steel and aluminum suggest more greenwashing than genuine climate leadership.”