WASHINGTON/BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - According to an analysis, German manufacturers are losing ground in the transition to e-mobility. This is the conclusion reached by the international environmental research network ICCT in its annual "Global Automaker Rating" on e-mobility. While the organization had previously ranked BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and VW far ahead of their international competitors in recent years, new competitors from China have now overtaken them.

BMW slipped from third to fifth place, Mercedes from fourth to seventh. The VW Group, which was still in fifth place in the ranking two years ago, now ranks eighth, one place lower than a year ago. By contrast, manufacturers from China made significant gains: both Volvo's parent company Geely and MG manufacturer SAIC overtook BMW and Mercedes and now occupy third and fourth place. Other Chinese brands, namely Chang'an, Chery, and Great Wall, also improved significantly.

"This year's assessment underscores that 2024 was a missed opportunity for European automakers," said ICCT Europe Director Peter Mock in a statement. "As the electrification of global car markets accelerates, export-dependent German carmakers are lagging behind and feeling the pressure."

Tesla remains the frontrunner

Environmental researchers continue to see Elon Musk's company Tesla in first and second place, followed by Chinese upstart BYD, which sold more electric cars worldwide than the US pioneer for the first time in 2024. Both had already occupied the top spots in the previous two years.

In the ranking, the organization used ten criteria it developed itself to assess how successful the world's 21 largest car manufacturers are in the transition to zero-emission vehicles. The criteria can be divided into three groups: market dominance, technological performance, and strategic vision. Characteristics include the energy consumption of the cars, the use of resources in production, and the coverage of different vehicle classes.

Points deducted for BMW, Mercedes, and VW

The German manufacturers lost points in almost all categories, while their Chinese challengers gained points in most of them. BMW lost points due to delays in the electric ramp-up of the Mini brand. The analysis criticizes Mercedes and VW for a lack of evidence for their announced battery recycling plans. Both were therefore downgraded.

In contrast, Opel, Peugeot, and Fiat parent Stellantis made a significant leap forward, finishing in fifth place alongside German leader BMW.

Japanese and Korean manufacturers lagging behind

The two US companies General Motors and Ford, as well as Renault from France, lagged significantly behind the German manufacturers in 11th, 12th, and 14th place. Manufacturers from Japan and South Korea are at the bottom of the rankings, all of them in the last six places. The ICCT classifies them all as laggards in the field of e-mobility.

Jaguar and Land Rover's parent company Tata from India, which was also previously classified as a laggard, has been upgraded for the first time to a company in transition – i.e., moving away from combustion engines to emission-free models. All German and European manufacturers are also in this group.

The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) is based in the US capital, Washington. In 2015, the organization helped uncover the VW emissions scandal in the US./fjo/DP/stk