The majority of automakers are undermining efforts to reduce pollution, and keep global warming under the 1.5 degrees celsius limit.

European research group, InfluenceMap, looked at a dozen car makers and found just two of them - Tesla and Mercedes Benz - are on track to build enough zero-emissions vehicles to keep emissions down.

But eight of the 12 companies are holding up progress - and the worst laggards are based in Japan.

Researcher Ben Youriev spoke to Māni Dunlop.