Europe’s auto giants pivot towards sustainable methods, striving to cut emissions in all operational areas
With the EU’s ambitious goal of complete carbon neutrality by 2050, automakers across the continent are racing to reduce emissions from their entire value chain. This challenge requires a shift in operations, ranging from the suppliers to production, and covering the entire vehicle life cycle.
Toyota Aiming for Carbon Neutrality by 2040 in Europe, Ahead of Global Goals
Pioneering a green strategy with a focus on reducing in-house emissions and increasing sustainable energy use
Toyota is setting the pace, aiming to achieve carbon neutrality in Europe by 2040. With assembly plants across the region, the automaker plans to prioritize reducing emissions from its own sources (Scope 1) at its European factories by 2030. This deadline is five years ahead of Toyota’s global goals, and the company has already eliminated Scope 2 emissions across Europe by purchasing only green energy.
Renault: Aggressive Decarbonization and an Emphasis on EV Production
Driving towards carbon neutrality and cutting CO2 production through renewable energy
Renault is stepping up its efforts in decarbonization, particularly in France, where it is focusing heavily on EV production. The French automaker aims to manufacture 500,000 electric vehicles a year by the mid-2020s. By adopting the latest monitoring tools and optimizing energy use, Renault has managed to significantly reduce its CO2 production emissions per vehicle.
Audi and BMW Push for Decarbonization and Reusable Materials
100% renewable energy use across European sites and a focus on recycling aluminum
Other automakers such as Audi and BMW are also making notable strides in decarbonization. Audi has achieved 100% renewable energy use across all its sites in Europe. BMW, meanwhile, has begun sourcing a third of its aluminum from solar-powered production and has implemented a closed recycling loop for two-thirds of its aluminum usage.
Supply Chains: The Next Frontier in Decarbonization
Aiming to reduce emissions across vehicle life cycles with cooperation from suppliers
The daunting task of reducing emissions throughout the vehicle life cycle is just starting to be addressed. Automakers are beginning to involve their supply chains in their decarbonization efforts. Companies such as Polestar, JLR, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and Stellantis have all included their suppliers in their strategies for reducing their carbon footprint. These strategies range from implementing energy and materials sourcing requirements to establishing criteria for contract awarding based on CO2 performance.
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