The Transport Dispatch is our take on what will be important for the global shift to a clean transport future.
From now, our transport experts will regularly share their insights and analysis from the frontline of the EV transition, and you’ll hear from partners and members of our influential EV100 network.
Edition #2 | March 2025
1) A tricky time ahead for Europe’s shift to clean transport
The week began with a huge blow to the EV transition in Europe: In a major concession to the car industry, the European Commission announced plans to change the calculation for its CO2 targets for cars and vans – essentially allowing carmakers to achieve their targets for 2025 by 2027, two years later.
The EU’s legislation setting CO2 targets is a bedrock for Europe's EV transition. It provides companies like our EV100 members with the regulatory stability they need to advance their decarbonisation projects and invest with confidence.
By changing agreed legislation, the Commission risks rocking the entire system, stalling the EV market, and limiting availability of models at affordable prices.
We responded immediately, calling the move “bad government, bad business, and bad for business confidence”. EurActiv and Transport & Energy report.
The Automotive Action Plan that Apostolos Tzitzikostas, the Transport Commissioner, presented on Wednesday contained better news. The Commission confirmed its intention for a legislative proposal on corporate fleets – a new piece of EU law that would mandate accelerated uptake of zero emission vehicles and help decarbonise Europe’s company fleets. The proposal will be out by the end of the year.
The Commission used language that closely reflects the arguments Climate Group and EV100 have long been making on corporate fleet legislation. Here is our position paper.
A bold mandate wouldn’t just put all companies on the same track towards decarbonisation. It would also instantly increase EV demand, as Tzitzikostas pointed out in his speech.
It’s exactly the demand European carmakers need to meet their targets (to agreed deadlines), speed up their transition, and stay competitive in a field where others are moving at breakneck speed.
What makes a good deal for Europe’s transport industry? Join our partners at the Platform for Electromobility on 19 March in Brussels for a panel discussion bringing together NGOs, policymakers and companies including EV100 members EDF, AstraZeneca, and Ikea. Register here.
2) Carmakers realise that they can’t partner themselves out of their predicament
When Nissan and Honda – two Japanese carmakers with declining sales and a slow EV transition – called off a $50 billion merger plan last month, questions were raised about the effectiveness of legacy carmakers’ attempts to join forces on new technologies.
Alliances and joint ventures have long been an industry staple, allowing companies to build scale and market share. But when it comes to scaling EV production, this, increasingly, doesn’t look like a viable strategy. Daimler and BMW, GM and Honda, Ford and VW – the list of attempted partnerships that failed or disappointed is growing.
Legacy carmakers, it seems, are realising how different their EV strategies are – and how difficult to align.
Alliances and joint ventures will still be crucial in helping legacy OEMs catch up – as long as they look to work with EV-focused partners instead (VW's deal with Rivian is a good example, as is Ford's partnership with CATL). But ultimately, legacy carmakers won't be able to partner their way out their current predicament.
If they are to catch up and compete with Chinese EV players moving at breakneck speed, they need to embrace the changing market and focus their strategies and investments on their own brands.
As Tesla’s sales are crashing across Europe – which legacy carmaker is actually ready to grab the market share?
3) We're expanding the EV100 model for impact into markets where the future of transport will play out
The fast-growing markets of Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa are poised to drive most of global vehicle demand between now and 2050. These emerging economies are not just where the future of transportation will play out; they are the frontier of equitable climate action.
That’s why we’re pleased to announce that over the coming months we will expand the EV100 model for impact into these regions. Working with existing and new EV100 members at the heart and together with fellow partners of the Drive Electric Campaign, we’ll deliver advice, tools, and opportunities to collaborate with governments and other stakeholders in Brazil, Mexico, Chile, South Africa and Kenya.
We’ll support businesses committed to the EV transition to navigate policy landscapes, scale infrastructure, and accelerate EV adoption in markets where growth in vehicle uptake is expected.
This isn’t just about expansion – it’s about fairness. By closing the gap between established and emerging economies, we will ensure that progress in the EV transition isn’t limited to a few privileged regions. Every community, every nation, deserves access to clean mobility solutions.
Make sure to follow us on LinkedIn for the latest updates, and if you’re not already a member of the EV100 network, here’s more on how to join.
Our EV100 network
EV100 brings together corporate leaders that are turning ambitious EV commitments into action. By decarbonising their fleets to a clear timeline, companies send a powerful signal for market acceleration and policy leadership – driving wider change through the system by making EVs more affordable for everyone.
Find out more and join