A statement has been released from the COP26 climate summit of the United Nations in Glasgow, which aims to accelerate the transition from fuel cars to electric cars. The pledge – because it is not binding, of course – has been signed by national, regional and local governments, car manufacturers, large leasing companies, international rental companies, investors, and other parties involved.
COP26 statement should accelerate transition to electric cars
The statement states that automakers will work to sell only electric cars and vans. The deadline for major markets is 2035, for the rest of the world 2040. Again, none of this is binding. The statement is nice and vague and without obligation, so that no one can fall for it. And yet only a few automakers have signed the document: Ford, General Motors, Jaguar Land Rover, Mercedes and Volvo.
Why don’t BMW, Renault-Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagen want to sign?
All others – BMW, Renault-Nissan, Hyundai-Kia, Stellantis, Toyota, Volkswagen, you name it – refuse. Why? According to the Financial Times, the manufacturers do not want to participate because countries such as China, Germany, France and the United States have not signed the declaration either. In addition, the companies are said to have doubts about the feasibility of the EV target in some markets. Which seems to us a strange reason, since the COP26 statement is not binding after all …