Washington (Washington — General Motors Co. , Ford Motor Co. and nine automakers signed a pledge Wednesday with paints to make all new car sales international zero-emission through 2040.
Under the pact, corporations and other signatories also agree to target all sales of zero-emission cars in primary markets until 2035. The agreement came on the transport-themed day of the United Nations Climate Change Conference, when world leaders met to discuss tactics to demobilize mobility. .
The move builds on commitments made through the two Detroit automakers earlier this year, when they joined rival Stellantis NV in agreeing to emission-free vehicle sales targets of 40 to 50 through 2030.
Volvo Cars Ltd. , Mercedes-Benz of Daimler AG, BYD Co. Ltd. China and Jaguar Land Rover were among the signatories: Stelantis, Toyota Motor Corp. , Volkswagen AG, Honda Motor Co. Ltd. , Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. BMW and Hyundai Motor Co. no participated in the deal.
Nearly 3 dozen national governments have also signed the pledge, but car (and producer) markets as vital as China, Germany, and the United States are not. The city of Ann Arbor is also among 40 state and local governments that joined the agreement, adding the states of Washington and California.
The U. S. Department of Transportation, the White House, Stellantis and Toyota did not respond to requests for comment from the Detroit News late Tuesday.
General Motors said in January it aims to sell only zero-emission cars by 2034 and has committed to making its global operations and products carbon-efficient by 2040. U. S. Sites USA In 2025.
“We are proud to now support the Declaration with other companies, governments and civil society organizations and dedicate ourselves to moving towards a transition to one hundred percent zero-emission cars by 2035,” GM spokeswoman Jeannine Ginivan said in a statement.
Earlier this year, the Dearborn-based automaker said it plans to electrify 40 of its global lineup by 2030 and said its entire European passenger car lineup will be “zero-emission, all-electric or plug-in hybrid” until mid-2026 and fully electric until 2030.
▶ More Stories, Fewer Ads – Our unlimited subscription prices are only $1 for six months. Click for more details.
The company said it is also proud to collaborate with the global coalition, which will be dubbed “RouteZero”: “We are now striving to supply revolutionary electric cars for many than for a few and to achieve goals that were previously considered mutually exclusive: to protect our planet, build the green economy and create a price for our consumers and shareholders,” Cynthia Williams, global head of sustainability, certification and compliance, said in a statement.
“It will take everyone to work together to succeed. Partnerships like RouteZero can build momentum and deliver genuine solutions. “
The announcement comes as global automakers, which added the Detroit Three, are making a heavy investment in electrified cars and scientists warn that replacing Earth’s climate is coming in a “code red for humanity. “
VW spokeswoman Esra Aydin told the News on Wednesday morning that the Paris Agreement’s global zero-emission purpose is “non-negotiable” and that the company is committed to temporarily shifting its portfolio to battery-electric vehicles.
But “while the speed of transformation is essential, the speed of transformation will vary from region to region (Europe, the United States, South America, China), depending, among other things, on local policy decisions that motivate investments in infrastructure and electric cars,” he said in an email.
“In addition, we think that an accelerated transition to electromobility will have to go hand in hand with a one hundred percent renewable energy transition . . . Regions that are reaching other speeds combined with other local prerequisites want other avenues for 0 emissions. Therefore, the Volkswagen Group, which represents commercial activities in all primary markets of the world, has taken the decision not to point out the statement for the time being. “
It projects that plug-in hybrids and cars account for more than 40% of sales in the United States and more than 70% in Europe. no longer invest in internal combustion engines.
U. S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will be in Glasgow on Wednesday to participate in talks on decarbonizing transportation and is expected to promote the bipartisan infrastructure bill passed last week, which includes a $7. 5 bill in investment for electric vehicle charging stations.
Detroit News Staff editors Jordyn Grzelewski, Kalea Hall and Breana Noble contributed.
rbeggin@detroitnews. com
Chirping: @rbeggin