In the second half of the twentieth century, the car industrybecame a lightning rod for debates about human contributions to climatechange. Widespread motorisation galvanised the green movements of the1960s and 1970s, regulators increasingly demanded the use of pollutionand climate mitigation technologies, and carmakers responded to thischanging consumer and regulatory environment by gradually observingstricter emissions standards and innovating away from combustible enginesat the turn of the millennium. This paper traces the arc of the relationshipbetween car manufacturing and climate change through a businesshistorical lens, from the development of internal combustion engines andtheir alternatives to the political economy of an energy transition and thedecision to prioritise electric vehicles. Our analysis aims to lay a foundationfor further research on industry and climate change.