Carmaker League Table Shows EV Supply Chains Are Becoming Even Cleaner — Thanks To Strong EU Rules

Why It Matters

The findings prove that strong policy can compel rapid sustainability gains, while regulatory backsliding could stall or reverse them, affecting the entire automotive sector’s climate targets.

Key Takeaways

• Tesla leads overall, scoring 49% on the leaderboard
• Ford and Volvo excel in responsible sourcing and decarbonisation
• EU Batteries Regulation drives transparency and due‑diligence for EVs
• Chinese OEMs show fastest improvement, especially Geely
• Potential rollback threatens progress on supply‑chain sustainability

Pulse Analysis

EU policy is now the engine behind cleaner electric‑vehicle supply chains. The 2026 Batteries Regulation forces automakers to map raw‑material origins, conduct due‑diligence, and set recycling targets, turning sustainability from a voluntary add‑on into a compliance requirement. This regulatory pressure has spurred a wave of disclosures, from low‑carbon steel percentages to granular supplier audits, and has encouraged investment in green steel and aluminium production, giving EV buyers a tangible sustainability story.

The leaderboard data underscores how quickly the market can respond when rules are clear. Tesla tops the chart with a 49% score, while Ford and Volvo rank near the top for responsible sourcing and decarbonisation. European OEMs dominate the top seven, yet the average across all 18 firms sits at just 25%, revealing a large performance gap. Chinese manufacturers, led by Geely, have shown the steepest year‑on‑year gains, demonstrating that aggressive internal standards can close the gap even without a legacy of stringent regulation.

Despite these gains, the momentum faces a political headwind. Delays to the Batteries Regulation’s due‑diligence provisions and lobbying against EU CO₂ targets threaten to erode the transparency gains that underpin responsible sourcing. Analysts argue that protecting the current regulatory framework—and extending it through measures like recycled‑content mandates for steel and aluminium—will be essential to lock in best practices and prevent a rollback of progress. In short, the future of low‑carbon automotive supply chains hinges on sustained policy support and industry commitment to the standards now proving effective.