Car firms push back against greenwashing allegations
Car manufacturers have pushed back against allegations they are underreporting the indirect lifetime emissions of their vehicles.
A report by European environmental NGO Transport & Environment (T&E) has accused nine of the world’s largest car makers – including Volkswagen, Toyota and BMW – of downplaying the indirect lifetime emissions of their vehicles by, on average, 50 per cent.
The report’s author Luca Bonaccorsi said car makers declared their indirect emissions are around 45.2t of CO2e per vehicle while, through a more granular analysis, it appears they stand at 68.2t.
CO2e include emissions from carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
The report said car carbon footprints can vary based on car type and geographical location, as well as how often they are used.
Bonaccorsi said car makers were using selective data to reach lower figures when calculating their environmental impact.
“Carmakers are trying to pull the wool over investors’ eyes by underreporting the lifetime emissions of their cars,” Bonaccorsi said. “This makes a mockery of carmakers’ green claims.”
T&E said the underreporting of global indirect emissions will represent a significant challenge for EU-based asset managers, who will be forced to report their Scope 3 emissions from 2023.
Scope 3 emissions include, for example, the sourcing of materials as well as the pollution created by a good during its lifetime.
But car makers rejected the allegations.
A Volkswagen spokesperson told City PM that it “didn’t agree with the conclusions made,” while BMW said the data used in the study were outdated.
A spokesperson for BMW said the report used an average mileage of its cars of 150,000km, but since 2021 the car company has been calculating its emissions based on an average mileage of 200,000km.
“This crucial change was not reflected in the T&E report,” the spokesperson said.
Toyota said: “We will need more time to study the data before making any detailed response.”
The manufacturers also wanted to stress their dedication to the environment, with Toyota, Honda and Volkswagen pledging their commitment to net-zero by 2050.
City PM has approached the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association and the remaining five brands cited in the report for comment.