Carbon Dioxide Emission-Reduction Efficiency in China’s New Energy Vehicle Sector Toward Sustainable Development: Evidence from a Three-Stage Super-Slacks Based-Measure Data Envelopment Analysis Model

Liying Zheng (), Fangjuan Zhan and Fangrong Ren ()
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Liying Zheng: Business School, Hohai University, Nanjing 211100, China
Fangjuan Zhan: Business School, Hohai University, Nanjing 211100, China
Fangrong Ren: College of Economics and Management, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 16, 1-26

Abstract: This research evaluates the carbon dioxide emission-reduction efficiency of new energy vehicles (NEVs) in China from 2018 to 2023 by applying a three-stage super-SBM data envelopment analysis (DEA) model that incorporates undesirable outputs. This model offers significant advantages over traditional DEA models, as it effectively disentangles the influences of external environmental factors and stochastic noise, thereby providing a more accurate and robust assessment of true efficiency. Its super-efficiency characteristic also allows for effective ranking of all decision-making units (DMUs) on the efficiency frontier. The empirical findings reveal several key insights. (1) The NEV industry’s carbon-reduction efficiency in China between 2018 and 2023 displayed an upward trend accompanied by pronounced fluctuations. Its mean super-efficiency score was 0.353, indicating substantial scope for improvements in scale efficiency. (2) Significant interprovincial disparities in efficiency appear. Unbalanced coordination between production and consumption in provinces such as Shaanxi, Beijing, and Liaoning has produced correspondingly high or low efficiency values. (3) Although accelerated urbanization has reduced the capital and labor inputs required by the NEV industry and has raised energy consumption, the net effect enhances carbon-reduction efficiency. Household consumption levels and technological advancement exerts divergent effects on efficiency. The former negatively relates to efficiency, whereas the latter is positively associated.

Keywords: CO 2 emission reduction; new energy vehicle; sustainable development; three-stage super-SBM DEA (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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