How effectively are the world’s largest car manufacturers switching to electric vehicles? The German companies are comparatively high up in the rankings – one manufacturer in particular can improve.
According to an analysis by the environmental research association ICCT, the car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz is making progress in the transition to e-mobility. Alongside two Chinese car companies, the Stuttgart-based company improved the most, according to the “Global Automaker Rating 2023”. Within a year, Mercedes moved up three places and ended up in fourth place.
According to the information, Mercedes’ jump is mainly due to the decarbonization of supply chains through the use of renewable energies and battery recycling. However, BMW remained unchanged in third place as the best European company. VW lost two places in the ranking compared to 2022 and landed in seventh place – behind the Chinese manufacturer SAIC and Opel’s parent company Stellantis.
The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) is based in the US capital Washington. In 2015, the organization helped uncover the VW emissions scandal in the USA. For the current study, the researchers used ten criteria to assess how successful 21 of the world’s largest car manufacturers are in the transition to emission-free vehicles. The criteria can be summarized in three groups: market dominance, technological performance and strategic vision.
BMW best European company – Tesla frontrunner
The study authors classify 13 of the manufacturers analyzed as companies that are in the midst of transformation – that is, away from combustion engines and towards emission-free models. These include Renault (10th place) and Ford (13th place). Tesla remains the frontrunner, followed by the Chinese car manufacturer BYD. According to the ICCT, the six laggards in the group examined include the world’s largest car manufacturer Toyota, as well as Mazda, Honda and Nissan.
Overall, seven manufacturers rose in the ranking between 2022 and 2023, 12 lost places and one remained the same. A decline can either mean that a company’s performance has deteriorated or that its competitors’ performance has improved. Most improved their performance in the following areas: share of electric cars sold, energy consumption, range, electric targets and investments for them.
According to the ICCT, the report is based, among other things, on a specially created database of electric car sales and their key specifications in the markets of China, the USA, the European Union, Japan, India and South Korea. In 2023, these six markets accounted for 82 percent of electric car sales. Overall, sales figures and technological performance improved last year, it said.
Study author: There is still a lot to do
Study author Zifei Yang said: “Car manufacturers are making significant progress in the transition to zero-emission vehicles, but there is still a lot to do.” To be competitive in the future, they would have to expand their model range to increase the share of zero-emission vehicles sold. They would also have to invest in battery recycling, among other things.
In order to limit global warming to below two degrees in line with the Paris climate goals, the sales share of emission-free cars and vans would have to be 77 percent by 2030, according to ICCT estimates. Almost 100 percent would have to be achieved by 2035. Additional measures are needed to limit global warming to below 1.5 degrees.
Source: Stern
