Q&A
Questions & Answers
Q #1: What is the best way to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2)?
Answer: CO2 is produced from burning fossil fuels, whether the CO2 comes from a car or a factory or a household refrigerator. For automotive transportation, CO2 can be reduced in four ways: 1) by ecodriving or reducing driving; 2) better traffic management, resulting in less time spent idling in traffic; 3) through low-carbon fuels; 4) through energy-efficient technology on vehicles. Worldwide, we can achieve the greatest CO2 reductions through policies that support all four approaches, engaging consumers, government, energy providers and auto technology simultaneously. We call this the “integrated approach” to carbon reduction.
Q #2: Which is the best auto technology to reduce carbon emissions?
Answer: Many technologies increase energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. No one can predict the future or know which of these technologies will be successful in the marketplace. That is why government should not pick winners and losers. Technology-neutral policies are the best way to encourage the development and deployment of diverse technologies, which also offer more choice to consumers.
Q #3: Which is the best energy source?
Answer: A range of energy sources can reduce carbon emissions, including biofuels, clean diesel, compressed natural gas (CNG), electricity and hydrogen. There are no winners and losers, only multiple choices for consumers. Ultimately, the best energy source may be the ones that are most widely available to consumers.
Q #4: Do automakers support targets?
Answer: We recognize the framework and goals are still being discussed, and automakers are already working to achieve significant CO2 reductions. Discussions about a possible 50% reduction by 2050 is an ambitious goal, and whatever goal is defined, we will need all stakeholders — including manufacturers, government at all levels, NGOs, energy providers, consumers, and the research and financial communities — to work together in harmony, with a clear definition of roles and responsibilities in proportion to the contribution of each sector.
Q #5: What about less developed countries?
Answer: Mobility leads to prosperity. As more countries reach for an improved standard of living, demand for personal mobility grows. So, one important goal is to address climate change while preserving personal mobility. An integrated approach also works in developing countries by engaging consumers in ecodriving, encouraging government to address infrastructure issues, offering greater availability of low-carbon energy sources and providing energy-efficiency vehicle technology available today.
Q #6: New vehicles will reduce CO2, but what do we do about all the older vehicles on the road? Is the solution another consumer incentives program?
Answer: New vehicles with new technologies are an important part of CO2 reductions, but one big limitation is that this is a long-term approach. Typically, it takes 15-18 years for vehicles on the road today to be replaced with new vehicles. We support government fiscal incentives to consumers that can help accelerate the number of advanced technology autos on our roads, and we also support an integrated approach that addresses vehicles on the road today. For example, ecodriving reduces CO2 from all vehicles. Low-carbon fuels reduce CO2 emissions from all vehicles on the road. Government policies to improve roadways and infrastructure reduce CO2 from all vehicles, not just new vehicles.
Q #7: What will CO2 reductions cost consumers?
Answer: Even in a down economy, manufacturers continue to invest in research and development. In fact, the auto industry historically ranks at the top of various industry lists on R&D investments. Technologies to reduce CO2 require large investments, and complementary measures affecting vehicle parts like tires and energy sources also require significant investments. Large investments increase costs to consumers, though we cannot give a precise figure. Affordability is always a concern. Since there will be increased consumer costs, we need consumers to embrace government policies to reduce CO2 reductions. We will need to sell advanced technology vehicles in large volumes to meet stringent new standards and to achieve the anticipated CO2 reductions.
Q #8: What is the most important action that government can take?
Answer: Government policymakers can support a comprehensive, economy-wide program that seeks the most efficient and cost-effective ways of reducing carbon emissions. All human activity contributes to the atmosphere’s concentration of greenhouse gases, but the cost of mitigating carbon emissions varies greatly, depending on their source. All sectors of the economy must share responsibility and be linked into a comprehensive program.
Q #9: What do you want to see in any UN climate agreement?
Answer: The auto industry supports an ambitious yet attainable outcome. Sound long-term targets provide long-range clarity and direction for manufacturers. This is critical in the auto industry, where developing and deploying power trains can take 5-10 years and more. We also welcome the acknowledgement that consumers play an important role in achieving results, as do energy providers and government infrastructure policies. And we encourage the UN to support economy-wide approaches that engage everyone in some way.
Q#10: What is the auto industry doing to reduce CO2 emitted along the whole life cycle of cars?
Answer: The auto industry is working to reduce CO2 emissions from all phases of the car life cycle, from designing and engineering to end of life. This means not only developing low emissions products, engaging consumers, government, energy providers but also:
- Involving the whole supply chain on raw material/components selection to improve reuse, recycle and recovery of products;
- Implementing low-environmental impact production processes and ask the same commitment to suppliers; and
- Improving a more efficient logistic and transport system.
