A recent report conducted by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) has assessed the world’s top 20 auto manufacturers and their progress in transitioning to zero-tailpipe-emission vehicles. The evaluation considers each company’s current market position, technology performance and strategic vision for future decarbonisation. The ICCT independently collected data for six major markets including China, Europe, India, Japan, South Korea and the US. The manufacturers analysed account for 89% of all sales within these regions and 65% of light-duty vehicle sales globally. Tesla is the report’s highest scorer as the only large manufacturer producing exclusively zero-emission vehicles. However, BYD, the only legacy automaker transitioning to all-electric vehicles, is said to be closing the gap on Tesla. Legacy automakers BMW and Volkswagen also scored highly in this year’s report.

Tata Motors, the only Indian automaker included in the list, scored poorly compared to its competitors due to its limited variety of zero-emission vehicle products, low ZEV sales and lack of a strong strategic vision. However, the manufacturer scored well on metrics concerning energy consumption of ZEVs and deployment of battery recycling and repurposing. The report shows that six out of the 20 global automakers are lagging behind, with five being based in Japan. ICCT’s modelling indicates that almost 100% of new light-duty vehicles sold in leading markets in 2035 must have zero tailpipe emissions to comply with global warming limits as outlined in the Paris Climate Agreement.

The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) is an independent, non-profit research organization that provides objective analyses of the transportation sector’s environmental performance. The ICCT’s rating differs from other ESG assessments, accordingly. The organization’s rating adopts a forward-looking analysis of manufacturer preparedness for electric vehicle implementation, using independent data and analysis instead of corporate surveys and self-reported information. The ICCT has deep expertise in the auto industry, making its rating different from other ESG assessments currently available. It developed rating metrics to track progress over time, and the organization plans to update the rating annually.

Rachel Muncrief is the Acting Executive Director of ICCT, said the Volkswagen Group’s emergence as an automaker committed to zero-emission vehicles and a leader in the transition within seven years of the Dieselgate scandal is impressive. Amit Bhatt is the India Managing Director for ICCT, who noted that with Tata Motors being the only Indian automaker on the list, its low ranking shows that India’s EV transition is behind other major markets.