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Automotive Sector Net-Zero Standard V0.1 Second Public Consultation

Introduction

Following the Standard Operating Procedure for Development of SBTi Standards, the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) is opening the second public consultation process for external stakeholders to provide feedback on its Automotive Sector Net-Zero Standard Version 0.1 draft (‘Automotive Standard’).

We welcome feedback from all stakeholders with an interest in this project. Whether you complete the entire survey or focus on the sections most relevant to you, your feedback will help strengthen the clarity, credibility, and ambition of the standard. The survey takes as little as 20 minutes, depending on the topics you choose to cover.

You can access the draft Standard and related background materials on the SBTi’s Automotive webpage.


Survey objectives

This public consultation is open from February 03, 2026 until March 22, 2026.

The primary aims of this consultation survey are to:
  • Gather input from external stakeholders on the second public consultation draft, and use it to inform the development of the final Standard.
  • Elicit feedback on specific areas that have emerged as key topics through the development process so far:
    • Whether automakers should set targets using either scope 3, category 11 emissions intensity or zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) sales-share.
    • Clarification and alignment on ZEV definitions, replacing previous low-emission vehicle (LEV) language.
    • The allowance to aggregate certain targets set at the regional or vehicle-type level into a single target.
    • Coverage of emissions from subsidiaries where an automaker holds more than a 33% stake, and whether these emissions must be included or require the subsidiary to set targets.
    • Applicability and clarity of the Corporate Net-Zero Standard V2.0 when used in parallel with the Automotive Standard.
    • Requirement for automotive companies with financial activities to evaluate whether the SBTi Financial Institutions Net-Zero Standard applies.
    • Use of technology-alignment options for powertrain suppliers, such as ZEV or near-ZEV powertrain sales-share metrics.
    • The updated definition of powertrain suppliers, the requirement for them to cover scope 3, category 11 emissions, and the assessment of scope 3 category 11 purchased materials exceeding a 5% threshold.
    • A revision to the default emission factors for renewable natural gas (RNG).
  • Engage directly and indirectly with external stakeholders to build support and identify areas of improvement.
What to expect from the survey


The first survey section requests contact information that is being collected to aid SBTi in analyzing the feedback.

After, you will be asked to respond to key questions that are critical to informing the further development of the Automotive Sector Net-Zero Standard.

Please note, you are not required to answer all the survey questions and you can skip questions, should you wish.

Results of this consultation will be made publicly available, but may be published at the stakeholder (rather than individual respondent) level. For example, companies may be identified as the stakeholder group "Company" rather than "ABC Corp".

All feedback will be analyzed and used to inform the next revision of the Automotive Sector Net-Zero Standard. When analyzing the data, it is helpful for SBTi to know which responses are from which stakeholder group, so we kindly ask you to provide us with information about your organization.

Respondents are encouraged to provide their own original inputs to the survey. While we recognize that AI tools may be used for translations or refinements, responses that are entirely AI-generated or bot-generated without original input may be subject to further review and potential exclusion from the analysis. SBTi reserves the right to exclude submissions that it reasonably deems to be entirely AI- or bot-generated from analysis.

For queries relating to this survey, please contact transport@sciencebasedtargets.org

Stakeholders are strongly encouraged to submit their feedback via the official public consultation survey, which is the primary channel through which submissions will be reviewed and analyzed. In cases where stakeholders are submitting consolidated or aggregate feedback that cannot reasonably be submitted through the online survey, these may be sent to transport@sciencebasedtargets.org. When providing feedback by email, please ensure that:

  • each comment clearly references the relevant section or criterion of the standard, and
  • it is specified whether the submission can be made public as part of the consultation summary.

Please note that feedback submitted outside the official consultation channels and unclear submissions may not be reviewed or considered as part of the consultation process.


Disclaimer and data privacy

Please note that any personal data you provide will remain confidential and will be processed in accordance with all relevant SBTi policies, including but not limited to Data Privacy Policy and all relevant and applicable data protection and data privacy regulations and legislation. All information collected by the SBTi will be used solely for the purposes of the Automotive Sector Net-Zero Standard Second Public Consultation, except where participants have provided explicit consent for other uses. The SBTi shall retain information in accordance with its Data Privacy Policy, Standard Operating Procedure, or any regulatory or legislative requirements.

“Science Based Targets initiative” and “SBTi” refer to the Science Based Targets initiative, a private company registered in England number 14960097 and registered as a UK Charity number 1205768.

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