Which role should the electric car play in Europe's cities? An analysis of publicly funded demonstration projects 2007-2013

Julia Hildermeier

International Journal of Automotive Technology and Management, 2016, vol. 16, issue 1, 90-107

Abstract: The current European car market suffers from a paradox. Despite considerable public investments in electric vehicle (EV) development and demonstration, no mass market is visible yet. Many European Governments struggle to fulfil their national objectives set for 2020. One reason is that there are no clear patterns of how EVs will be used. This paper explores the assumption that where 'demand-pull' is lacking, publicly funded demonstration projects play a major role in shaping EV use and acceptance. Based on a first explorative study, this paper compares all EV projects co-funded by the European Union between 2007 and 2012. The results show that most projects 'think' the electric car as a rather conventional idea of 'automobility' as private use of cars and logistics. Few demonstration projects have created alternative mobility patterns such as e-car-sharing or intermodal integration with public transport and bikes in cities.

Keywords: electric vehicles; EVs; European Union; automotive R%D; EU demonstration projects; public funding; electromobility; automobile industry; car sharing; sustainable mobility; policy instruments; public investment; mobility patterns; intermodal transport; urban transport; public transport; bikes; bicycles; cities. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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