Interaction of consumer preferences and climate policies in the global transition to low-carbon vehicles

Burgeoning demands for mobility and private vehicle ownership undermine global efforts to reduce energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. Advanced vehicles powered by low-carbon sources of electricity or hydrogen offer an alternative to conventional fossil-fuelled technologies. Yet, despite ambitious pledges and investments by governments and automakers, it is by no means clear that these vehicles will ultimately reach mass-market consumers.

Here, we develop state-of-the-art representations of consumer preferences in multiple global energy-economy models, specifically focusing on the non-financial preferences of individuals. We employ these enhanced model formulations to analyse the potential for a low-carbon vehicle revolution up to 2050. Our analysis shows that a diverse set of measures targeting vehicle buyers is necessary to drive widespread adoption of clean technologies. Carbon pricing alone is insufficient to bring low-carbon vehicles to the mass market, though it may have a supporting role in ensuring a decarbonized energy supply.

This article is available on the publisher’s website via restricted access.

Authors

PBL Authors
Detlef van Vuuren
Other authors
David L. McCollum et. al

Specifications

Publication title
Interaction of consumer preferences and climate policies in the global transition to low-carbon vehicles
Publication date
17 July 2018
Publication type
Article
Publication language
English
Magazine
Nature Energy
Issue
2018, 16 juli 2018
Product number
3348