Audit-Ready Carbon Reporting for Automobile Manufacturers
Track assembly plant energy, supplier component emissions, vehicle use-phase fuel consumption, and electric vehicle production transition for OEMs.
The Industry Hotspot: Supplier Components and Vehicle Use-Phase Fuel
Use-phase fuel dominates lifecycleAutomobile lifecycle emissions split between manufacturing and use-phase. Supplier component production dominates manufacturing footprint including engines, transmissions, body panels, and electronics. Assembly plants consume energy but represent smaller portion than upstream supply chain. Vehicle use-phase fuel consumption over years of operation creates substantial emissions. Fuel economy standards drive efficiency improvements. Electric vehicles eliminate tailpipe emissions shifting impact to electricity generation and battery production. Battery supply chains add manufacturing complexity with lithium, cobalt, and nickel extraction. Cell production consumes electricity with intensity varying by production location. NetNada aggregates supplier component footprints, tracks assembly energy, calculates use-phase fuel emissions by model, and reports EV production transition.
SASB Industry Definition
The Automobiles industry designs and manufactures passenger vehicles, light trucks, and motorcycles. OEMs coordinate global supply chains, operate assembly plants, and distribute through dealer networks. Most emissions are Scope 3 from supplier manufacturing and product use-phase fuel consumption over vehicle lifetimes. Electric vehicle transition reshapes manufacturing and use-phase emissions profiles.
Industry-Specific Carbon Accounting
No generic solutions. Metrics, data sources, and reporting aligned to Automobiles operations.
Assembly Plant Energy Tracking
Vehicle assembly consumes electricity for welding, painting, and final assembly. Natural gas provides heat for paint booths and facility heating. Energy per vehicle varies by plant efficiency and model mix. Track facility energy consumption by assembly plant and production line. Calculate energy per vehicle assembled. Report manufacturing energy intensity trends and renewable procurement.
Supplier Component Footprint Aggregation
Supplier component manufacturing dominates vehicle production footprint. Engines, transmissions, body panels, electronics, and interior parts have manufacturing emissions from materials and fabrication. Collect supplier carbon data by component category. Apply emission factors where primary data unavailable. Aggregate component footprints by vehicle model. Report supplier data coverage percentage.
Vehicle Use-Phase Fuel Emissions
Fuel consumption over vehicle lifetime represents largest lifecycle component. Fuel economy standards and customer driving patterns affect total emissions. Electric vehicles eliminate tailpipe emissions. Model use-phase emissions using fuel economy ratings and estimated lifetime mileage. Calculate by vehicle model and powertrain type. Report lifecycle emissions comparing manufacturing versus use-phase.
Electric Vehicle Manufacturing Carbon
EV manufacturing includes battery production with mining, refining, and cell fabrication. Battery footprint varies by cell chemistry and production location electricity intensity. Track battery supplier emissions by chemistry and capacity. Calculate EV manufacturing footprint including battery. Compare to equivalent ICE vehicle production emissions.
Fleet Fuel Economy Compliance
Regulatory standards require fleet average fuel economy by sales volume. Compliance achieved through efficiency improvements and EV sales increasing fleet average. Track sales-weighted fuel economy by market and regulatory framework. Monitor compliance margins and credit balances. Report fleet average trends and regulatory performance.
SASB TR-AU Metrics Automation
Auto-generate disclosure including gross Scope 1 and 2 emissions, fleet average fuel economy, percentage of sales from EVs, recycled material content, supplier carbon data coverage, and workforce safety. Footnotes cite production volumes and market presence.
Product Features for Automobiles
Use Carbon Data Uploader to import assembly plant utility data, supplier component footprints, production volumes, and fuel economy ratings for automotive emissions tracking. Learn more →
The Activity Calculator applies factors for electricity, natural gas, supplier components, and use-phase fuel—calculating vehicle lifecycle carbon footprints. Learn more →
Automobiles Case Studies
How entities in this industry use NetNada to solve carbon accounting challenges.
Challenge
Investors and regulators required comprehensive vehicle lifecycle carbon footprints by model. Supplier component emissions needed aggregation across global supply base. Use-phase fuel consumption represented unknown lifecycle component. Electric vehicle manufacturing carbon footprint required quantification versus ICE vehicles.
Solution
Implemented comprehensive automotive carbon accounting tracking assembly energy by facility. Engaged supplier base collecting component carbon data by part category. Modeled use-phase fuel emissions using fuel economy ratings and estimated lifetime mileage by model. Calculated EV manufacturing footprint including battery supply chain. Generated vehicle lifecycle assessments by model and powertrain.
Result
Established vehicle carbon footprints showing use-phase fuel as dominant lifecycle component for ICE vehicles. Demonstrated EV lifecycle benefits despite higher manufacturing footprint from battery production. Identified supplier engagement opportunities improving component data coverage. Provided investors and customers with transparent lifecycle emissions supporting sustainability communications and meeting regulatory disclosure requirements.
SASB Disclosure Topics for Automobiles
Material sustainability topics beyond emissions that investors and stakeholders expect disclosed per SASB standards.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
environmentTrack Scope 1 from assembly plant natural gas and fleet vehicles. Report Scope 2 from manufacturing electricity. Calculate Scope 3 from supplier components, logistics, use-phase fuel, and end-of-life. Report emissions per vehicle produced or per revenue.
Product Fuel Economy and Emissions
business modelReport fleet average fuel economy by market. Track compliance with fuel economy standards. Disclose product emissions by vehicle segment and powertrain type.
Electric Vehicle Production
business modelMonitor EV production volumes and revenue percentage. Track battery supply chain emissions. Report EV manufacturing energy and product carbon footprint versus ICE vehicles.
Supply Chain Management
socialTrack supplier carbon data coverage and performance. Monitor conflict minerals compliance. Disclose supplier renewable energy requirements and audits.
Manufacturing Energy Efficiency
environmentMonitor assembly plant energy consumption and intensity. Track renewable energy procurement for facilities. Report manufacturing efficiency improvements and facility emissions.
Vehicle Recycling and Materials
environmentReport end-of-life vehicle recycling rates. Track material recovery and reuse. Disclose design for recyclability and closed-loop material programs.
NetNada tracks all SASB material topics, not just emissions. Our platform supports disclosure across environmental, social, governance, and business model topics relevant to your industry.
Automobiles FAQs
Common questions about carbon accounting for this industry
Track Automobile Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Product Lifecycle Emissions
See how automotive OEMs aggregate supplier data, calculate vehicle carbon footprints, and generate SASB-aligned disclosures—automated from production and supply chain data.