PART I: OPENING CEREMONY
There is a shared understanding that climate change poses an existential threat and the cost of inaction is too high. Representatives from the United States and Mexico recognized the importance of creating a binational task force on transportation electrification to help combat climate change, create economic development opportunities for both nations, and reinforce the leadership position of the United States and Mexico in the industry. automotive as it moves towards electrification. California, the fifth largest economy in the world, has demonstrated through its leadership policies that it is possible to make historic climate investments, grow the economy, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the same time.
While the main topic of discussion was the electrification of transport, it was recognized that solutions must be holistic and systemic and consider the energy and transport sectors as a whole. Innovative government structures, such as the US effort to create a new joint office between the energy and transportation sectors, can serve as a model for how others can work and share knowledge at all levels of government. In addition to energy and transportation, there is a need to partner with the telecommunications sector to address some of the broadband challenges facing Mexico and the US with the electrification of transportation transition.
Stakeholders expressed the need for a working group to create opportunities for collaboration between industry, government, and academia from both countries. A single binational roadmap is essential rather than multiple individual roadmaps to foster a strong bilateral relationship, generate innovative technologies and strategies, and create joint solutions that address shared challenges.
PART II: WORK SESSIONS
Challenges In the US-Mexico Automotive Industry Are Opportunities
Many of the challenges raised are seen as opportunities and significantly overlap with the five key issue areas that subsequent working groups will be formed around:
- The breakout session highlighted the research gap that exists regarding transportation electrification issues in relation to the United States-Mexico integrated automotive industry (batteries, charging infrastructure, policies, etc.). Research is needed to articulate current markets for what already exists and is underway with respect to the US-Mexico auto industry. In addition, there is a great opportunity to explore shared innovative technologies and promote technology/knowledge transfer, particularly from California.
There is an opportunity to explore the entire supply chain of the transportation electrification system, perform life cycle analysis, identify battery technologies and mineral extraction locations, as well as identify which puzzle questions the US and Mexico need investigate more to solve.
Mexico and the United States could collaborate in the development of appropriate public policies and regulations to advance transportation exploration. Some mentioned exploring an LCFS in Mexico or learning from some of CA’s leadership policies on transportation. There is a desire to use the working group to think about harmonizing US-Mexico standards and regulations, specifically CA-Mexico. In addition to state and federal policy tools, there is an opportunity to partner with local and regional governments in finding equitable solutions and accessible technologies.
There are a host of questions around charging infrastructure, from financing, where to deploy, the role of incentives, and the role of government/industry. One particular topic of interest was the need for a landscape analysis of the charging infrastructure that already exists, particularly in Mexico, and what type of charging infrastructure and where it should be located.
