Cars represent 15% of global steel production

Error detected

The claim overstates the automotive sector's share of global steel production. World Steel Association data consistently shows automotive at approximately 12%, not 15%. The difference of 3 percentage points represents a ~25% relative overestimate, exceeding the threshold for a mere nuance.

Omissions

• The MEP did not cite a specific source for the 15% figure, making it difficult to trace its origin.
• The claim uses 'cars' (voitures) specifically, but worldsteel data covers the broader 'automotive' sector which includes commercial vehicles, trucks, and buses alongside passenger cars. The share for cars alone would be lower than the full automotive sector figure.
• The World Steel in Figures 2025 report (containing 2024 data) could not be accessed in full, so the exact sector breakdown was not retrieved directly — the approximately 12% figure is the widely reported industry standard from worldsteel's recurring publications.
• The 15% figure may originate from older data or from a broader 'transportation' category that includes rail, shipbuilding, and aerospace alongside automotive.

Sources

• PrimaryWorld Steel Association — World Steel in Figures 2025The World Steel in Figures 2025 report covers 2024 data and includes a sectoral breakdown of global steel use. The automotive sector is consistently reported by worldsteel at approximately 12% of global steel demand across recent editions. The exact sector breakdown chart is contained in the PDF edition of the report.
• PrimaryOECD — Steel Outlook 2025The OECD Steel Outlook 2025 provides analysis of global steel demand by sector; the automotive sector is among the key steel-using industries but is not the largest — construction and infrastructure dominate at approximately 50% of global steel use, with automotive well below 15%.