COP out? Few car makers sign EV pledge

The world has a better picture of how long auto companies think petrol and diesel cars and vans could be around after only a handful of brands signed a pledge at the COP26 climate crisis summit calling for them to be phased out by 2040 or earlier.

Volkswagen, Hyundai, Nissan and luxury brand BMW were among the many major auto manufacturers that did not sign the non-binding pledge despite huge efforts to portray themselves as committed to a zero emissions future and putting electric vehicles on-sale.

Toyota was another brand that did not sign the pledge, but it has conveyed mixed views on EVs for years and has only just unveiled its first battery electric vehicle, the bZ4X.

Stellantis, the multi-national parent of Jeep, RAM, Peugeot and Opel (and many more), also did not sign up.

However, the pledge, which also calls for the sale of zero emission vehicles in leading markets by 2035, was backed by Ford, General Motors, Jaguar Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo and China’s BYD.

The full text of the pledge and list of signatories is here.

Volkswagen has used its roll-out of a range of ID-branded BEVs to spruik its green credentials and rebuild its image following the dieselgate scandal, where senior management okayed a global emissions cheating scam.

VW has committed to be zero emissions in Europe by 2035, but not signing the pledge indicates it could potentially sell petrol and diesel vehicles in other markets beyond 2040.

As reported here, VW boss Herbert Diess has previously declined to put a date on the production of the company’s last internal combustion engine.

BMW was quoted by the Financial Times saying was still “considerable uncertainty about the development of global infrastructure to support a complete shift to zero-emissions vehicles”.

Toyota said: “Although we refrain from joining the statement, we share the same spirit and determination to address climate change and remain open to engage and work with stakeholders. Toyota will continue to contribute by making the best efforts to achieve carbon neutrality.”

Twenty eight countries signed the pledge, including Canada, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Ireland and the UK, which plans to end the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2030.

India and a number of other emerging nations agreed to “work intensely towards accelerated proliferation”.

The US, China and Germany did not sign the pledge. Nor did Australia which rolled out a much-criticised EV policy last week.

The pledge was signed by states including California, individual cities and by financiers and major fleet customers such as Uber.