National policymaking and the promotion of electric vehicles

This paper considers supply-side factors underpinning technology forcing by national policymakers 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.