Title: National policy-making and the promotion of electric vehicles

Authors: Jason Begley; Nigel Berkeley; Tom Donnelly; David Jarvis

Addresses: Centre for Business in Society, Faculty of Business, Coventry University, Jaguar Building, Coventry, CV1 5FB, UK ' Centre for Business in Society, Faculty of Business, Coventry University, Jaguar Building, Coventry, CV1 5FB, UK ' Centre for Business in Society, Faculty of Business, Coventry University, Jaguar Building, Coventry, CV1 5FB, UK ' Centre for Business in Society, Faculty of Business, Coventry University, Jaguar Building, Coventry, CV1 5FB, UK

Abstract: This paper considers factors underpinning technology forcing by national policy makers in the low carbon vehicle sector. It focuses on five countries - France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK - and examines the driving imperatives for promoting alternative fuel vehicle and, in particular, electric vehicle uptake. It does so by looking at four overarching concerns for decision makers; energy security, sustainable development, impact on the existing automotive sector and the pressure from sub-national actors. The paper seeks to show that national policy in the five selected countries is heterogeneous in nature making consistent, standardised approaches to policy implementation a challenge, despite the similarity in ambition to advance instances of electromobility and to transition from conventional transport technology to alternative fuel vehicles.

Keywords: low carbon vehicles; LCVs; lead markets; technology forcing; supply side policy; national policy; policy making; electric vehicle promotion; electric vehicles; France; Germany; Italy; Spain; UK; United Kingdom; alternative fuels; energy security; sustainable development; sustainability; electric mobility.

DOI: 10.1504/IJATM.2016.080798

International Journal of Automotive Technology and Management, 2016 Vol.16 No.3, pp.319 - 340

Received: 11 Jul 2016
Accepted: 11 Jul 2016

Published online: 07 Dec 2016 *

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