PASADENA, Calif. (Sept. 15, 2016) — What's being touted as a first-ever industry survey of major automotive suppliers found that they see national fuel economy standards as important for long-term planning and investment and don't want to see them altered by policymakers.
The report was commissioned by Calstart Inc., an automotive technology industry group that represents 160 member companies “dedicated to expanding and supporting a clean transportation industry that cleans the air, creates jobs and economic opportunities, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and secures our transportation energy future.”
“This survey underscores the degree to which deploying new fuel-efficient technology is already baked into companies' businesses plans,” said John Boesel, CALSTART president and CEO. “Companies are clearly ready to innovate and see the upside in the standards.”
To conduct the survey over the summer, CALSTART commissioned Ricardo Energy & Environment, a global environmental consultancy — and operating division of Ricardo P.L.C. — that specializes in the development and implementation of sustainable policy and technology across the automotive industry. The firm polled and interviewed 23 suppliers, most of them global Tier 1 suppliers that sell parts directly to auto makers.
According to the survey:
- 70 percent of suppliers said policymakers should not adjust the program's goals;
- 65 percent agreed with the decision to set new miles-per-gallon standards for 2025, with 30 percent saying they strongly agreed with the decision;
- Among those who agreed, all but one named regulatory certainty as critical for the industry and half said the standards spark innovation;
- 59 percent said that fuel-economy standards help spur job growth;
- Suppliers identified a wide range of conventional and electric technology that could be used to meet the standards; and
- Three quarters agreed that setting targets beyond 2025 is also important for long-term planning.
Mihai Dorobantu, director of technology planning and government affairs at Eaton Vehicle Group, a major automotive supplier that participated in the survey, told CALSTART he appreciated the group seeking insights from advanced technology suppliers.