The report provides a fresh, impartial – and often critical – view, not just of the automotive industry as a whole, but on the individual vehicle manufacturers themselves.

The Ranking: who currently leads the way - and why

Central to this new research is the exclusive ‘Green ranking’. The 12 leading vehicle manufacturers are individually assessed, and ranked according to a variety of criteria – using examples of best practice as benchmarks. The result is a ranking that plots where each of the manufacturers are now, and commentary that provides pointers as to which companies are best positioned to win the race to be the leading ‘green’ manufacturer of the future.

The report identifies which manufacturers are most likely to take advantage of the huge changes that will need to happen. It also identifies those manufacturers that are already struggling to adapt. Stakeholders – whether they be shareholders or suppliers, customers or even governments, need to know which category the manufacturers they are involved with fall into.

The vehicle manufacturers covered are:

• BMW
• Daimler
• Fiat
• Ford
• GM
• Honda
• Hyundai
• Nissan
• PSA
• Renault
• Toyota
• Volkswagen

Data-rich research

The report contains a wealth of data – over 80 data tables and figures including vehicle manufacturer GHG emissions (actual and per vehicle), sales-weighted average CO2 emissions by manufacturer and fleet average CO2 emissions.

Benchmarking & comparison

The activities, attitudes and strategies of the 12 vehicle manufacturers are charted in a variety of compelling charts. Side-by-side, each manufacturer is assessed – and compared against each rival. There are exclusive charts that directly compare the vehicle manufacturer’s activities in areas such as:

• New technology
• Lifecycle analysis
• Recycling
• Investment in renewals
• CSR/sustainability rankings
• Attitudes towards climate change and potential fuel shortages
• Green supplier programmes
• Green dealer programmes

Detailed manufacturer profiles

Each of the 12 vehicle manufacturers have been analysed, and the results are set out in a series of detailed profiles. Each manufacturer has its own headline SWOT analysis – making it easy to compare each company’s current strategic strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats against their closest rival. The overall strategy of each company is then broken down into the following categories:

• Summary and recent developments
• CSR/climate change strategies
• Product
• Future technology strategies
• Closing the loop – lifecycle analysis
• Manufacturing

The report provides answers to such vital questions as:

• Is the automotive industry doing enough now to prevent more drastic action needing to be taken at a later stage?
• Which manufacturers are engaging management and the workforce on climate change and peak oil issues, and putting in place a corporate strategy that prioritises reducing GHG emissions and seeks alternatives to fossil fuels?
• Is each vehicle manufacturer applying their environmental strategies rigorously to all areas of their business – and engaging in dialogue with all stakeholders?
• Which vehicle manufacturers are confident about dealing with the challenges associated with future emissions legislation, and which companies are likely to struggle?
• What is current industry best practice – and what should vehicle manufacturers be thinking about for the future?
• Which new vehicle, engine and alternative fuel technologies is each vehicle manufacturer investing in?
• How do vehicle manufacturers interact with customers to help them make ‘green’ decisions, be it through their brands and marketing, or through the services they offer?