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2. The electrification of the auto industry has taken a big turn with the rise of electric cars, influenced by Tesla, EU regulations, and China’s EV market.
3. Most automakers, except Tesla, actively lobby against electric vehicle policies, hindering the progress towards reducing global heating emissions.
The auto industry has made significant strides in electrification in the past few years, largely driven by the success of the Tesla Model 3, EU regulations, and China’s growing EV market. However, despite the progress, automakers continue to lobby against EVs and climate policies, putting global climate targets at risk. A recent analysis by InfluenceMap found that all major automakers, except Tesla, actively advocate against EV policies, with Toyota being the lowest-scoring company in terms of climate policy engagement. Japanese automakers, in particular, are noted for being the least prepared for an electric vehicle transition and for lobbying against it.
While some automakers like BMW, Mercedes, and Tesla are on track to meet climate goals by increasing their electric vehicle production, the majority of automakers are lagging behind. Industry associations, rather than individual automakers, are often behind the lobbying efforts to weaken carbon emissions policies. Additionally, the trend towards larger vehicles is concerning as it contributes to higher emissions, even with the shift towards electric vehicles.
Overall, the auto industry still has a long way to go in terms of meeting climate targets and transitioning to electric vehicles. Despite some progress, the continued lobbying against EVs and the focus on larger vehicles pose significant challenges to reducing emissions.