2021 Automotive Benchmark

Measuring the 30 most influential companies on their progress to 1.5°C

We have assessed the most globally influential automotive manufacturing companies on their alignment to a low-carbon world in 2019, 2020 and now in 2021. The ambition of the scenario used for each of these assessments has increased.

In 2019, we assessed companies against a pathway built on the IEA ETP 2DS (2°C) Scenario; in 2020, against an IEA B2DS (Beyond 2°C) scenario pathway, and in 2021, against the IEA Net Zero Scenario (1.5°C) pathway. We undertook full ACT assessments – of performance, narrative, and trend – in 2019 and 2021. The 2020 updates were performance assessments only. Our 2021 assessments show that companies are not transitioning sufficiently to align with a 1.5°C world.

Four key findings

Below, you can see four key findings from the benchmark results, including comparison against previous findings, as well as a deeper dive into findings across each performance module assessed. The Automotive Benchmark 2021 shows evidence of improvements in the low-carbon performance of some of the companies.

Nonetheless, it is clear that companies are not yet transitioning sufficiently to align with a 1.5°C world. They should look to good practice of their peers in stronger leadership, more investment in a low–carbon future and greater transparency to scale the low-carbon ambition and performance gap that exists in the sector.

Key finding

Decarbonisation in the automotive sector wide of the 1.5°C mark

Globally influential automotive manufacturers are falling behind on decarbonisation. In the third year of this benchmark, company performance in meeting the 1.5°C goal has dropped. Low-carbon vehicle sales made up just 7% of the sales share of the 30 assessed companies in 2020. Good progress was made by Tesla, Guangzhou Automobile and Daimler. But overall, low-carbon vehicles sales are far outweighed by the huge volumes of internal combustion engine sales by the largest vehicle manufacturers. Automotive companies must rapidly reduce their sales of internal combustion engine vehicles and transition to low-carbon vehicles or other decarbonised personal transport options.

Key finding

Companies show they’re ready to transition, but need to step up ambition

The 2021 benchmark evidences improvements in planning and readiness to transition to a low-carbon business. Automotive manufacturers are increasingly setting targets to reduce emissions and increase sales of low-carbon vehicles. However, not enough companies are underpinning their transition plans with financial commitments and most emissions targets are not ambitious enough for a 1.5°C pathway. None of the assessed companies have set a target for its vehicle in-use emissions that covers all the company’s business areas and is ambitious enough to align with a 1.5°C pathway.

Key finding

Companies need to take customers and suppliers along in the low-carbon transition

How companies engage with customers, suppliers and policy is pivotal in catalysing the transformation of the sector. Of the 30 companies assessed, 11 have not undertaken any initiatives to actively promote the sales of low-carbon vehicles over conventional vehicles. Apart from Tesla, and companies headquartered in China where lobbying is not transparent, every company assessed is a member of a trade association that lobbies against climate policy. The benchmark also evidences insufficient engagement with suppliers to drive adoption of emissions reduction targets and use of purchasing power to stimulate development of low-carbon products. On the whole, companies are failing to use their influence with key stakeholders to accelerate the low-carbon transition.

Key finding

Automotive manufacturers have much work to do for a just transition in their sector

The global transition to a well-functioning low-carbon economy can only be successful if it is socially just – that is, if the people at the heart of the current carbon-intensive systems are identified and engaged as agents of change. The 30 keystone automotive manufacturers assessed in the benchmark were also evaluated in WBA’s 2021 pilot Just Transition Assessment. The results show that they have much to do in ensuring that the low-carbon transition in their sector is socially just and gives people a central place in the planned changes. The automotive sector is in fact the worst performing sector in this regard, falling behind electric utilities and oil and gas companies.

Find out the performance of the car companies

View ranking

The 30 most influential auto manufacturers

Click the map to explore each company, depending on the region you would like to learn about and the location of headquarters

Locations

Title: Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group (安徽江淮汽车集团股份有限公司)
Place: Hefei, China
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Title: Beijing Automotive Group (BAIC) (北京汽车集团有限公司)
Place: Beijing, China
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Title: BMW
Place: Munich, Germany
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Title: BYD (比亚迪股份有限公司)
Place: Shenzhen, China
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Title: Chongqing Changan Automobile Company (重庆长安汽车股份有限公司|长安汽车)
Place: Chongqing, China
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Title: China FAW Group (中国第一汽车集团有限公司)
Place: Changchun, China
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Title: Daimler
Place: Stuttgart, Germany
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Title: Dongfeng Motor Group (东风汽车集团有限公司)
Place: Wuhan, China
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Title: Ford
Place: Dearborn, United States of America
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Title: General Motors Corporation (GM)
Place: Detroit, United States of America
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Title: Great Wall Motor Company (长城汽车股份有限公司)
Place: Baoding, China
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Title: Guangzhou Automobile Group (广州汽车集团有限公司|广汽集团)
Place: Guangzhou, China
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Title: Honda Motor
Place: Tokyo, Japan
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Title: Hyundai Motor Group
Place: Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Title: Kia Motors Corporation
Place: Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Title: Mahindra and Mahindra
Place: Mumbai, India
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Title: Mazda Motor Corporation
Place: Hiroshima, Japan
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Title: Mitsubishi Motors Corporation
Place: Tokyo, Japan
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Title: Nissan Motor Company
Place: Yokohama, Japan
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Title: Renault
Place: Paris, France
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Title: SAIC Motor (上海汽车集团股份有限公司|上汽集团)
Place: Shanghai, China
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Title: Subaru Corporation
Place: Tokyo, Japan
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Title: Suzuki
Place: Hamamatsu, Japan
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Title: Tata Motors
Place: Mumbai, India
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Title: Tesla
Place: Austin, United States of America
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Title: Toyota Motor Corporation
Place: Toyota, Japan
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Title: Volkswagen AG
Place: Wolfsburg, Germany
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Title: Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (浙江吉利控股集团)
Place: Hangzhou, China
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Title: Chery Holding Group (奇瑞控股集团)
Place: Wuhu, China
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Title: Stellantis
Place: Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Previous findings

2019 and 2020 benchmark results

In 2020, we refreshed the results of this Benchmark with a Performance Update, and assessed the same 25 companies and 5 new ones in the sector on their progress towards low-carbon leadership and ambition. In 2019, we launched our first iteration of the Automotive Benchmark, which measured the progress of 25 keystone companies in the sector towards the goals of the Paris Agreement.
See all findings

2021 Automotive Benchmark

Four key findings

Decarbonisation in the automotive sector wide of the 1.5°C mark

Companies show they’re ready to transition, but need to step up ambition

Companies need to take customers and suppliers along in the low-carbon transition

Automotive manufacturers have much work to do for a just transition in their sector

Find out the performance of the car companies

Further reading

Insights Report

Data, scores and additional commentary

ACT and WBA - Technical FAQs

The 30 most influential auto manufacturers

Locations

Previous findings

2019 and 2020 benchmark results