As the automotive industry shifts away from internal combustion engines and toward electric vehicles, the emissions caused by driving our cars will continue to shrink. This means that the contribution of auto manufacturing to a car’s lifetime GHG emissions will grow more and more important. Data shows that as of 2018, the auto industry contributed approximately 9% of global GHG emissions. Currently, roughly one-fifth of this is from material production, but this share is expected to rise to more than 60% by 2040.
As plastic makes up a large part of modern automobiles (50% by volume, 12-17% by weight), it represents a prime opportunity to reduce the industry’s manufacturing footprint—and one that UBQ is poised to address. Luxury car manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz are already partnering with UBQ and substituting oil-based plastic parts with a climate-positive material without compromising on the quality or magnificence of their cars.
