Leasing: New Automotive Giants Lack A Credible Climate Strategy - CleanTechnica

A recent analysis by Reclaim Finance and Transport & Environment (T&E) reveals that Europe’s automotive leasing companies, despite their growing influence in the sector, have largely failed to adopt credible climate strategies. Leasing now accounts for over half of new car registrations in Europe and is projected to reach 70% by 2030, positioning leasing firms as key players in the transition to electric vehicles (EVs). These companies, often subsidiaries of carmakers or banking groups, influence EV adoption through pricing, customer guidance, and managing the resale market, which is critical since most Europeans buy used cars. However, the study found that 12 out of 20 major leasing companies provide no public climate-related information about their leasing activities, and none of the eight that do disclose data offer detailed fleet breakdowns to assess decarbonisation progress. Climate targets are generally weak, fragmented, and in some cases recently weakened or suspended, with no company committing to cease financing new internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles even beyond