The sustainable future of the automobile

The author notes that new car emissions in 2011 averaged 138g/km, decreasing by an average of 6.6g per year over the preceding four years. This progress, driven by economic factors and government policy, could lead to 85g/km by 2020, surpassing the proposed European target of 95g/km. The author emphasizes the need to ratify the 2020 target and set goals for 2025 and 2030 to ensure manufacturer alignment. In the United Kingdom, EV uptake has been slow despite a £5,000 grant, though charging infrastructure is increasing. Additionally, the document mentions the concept of "peak cars," where young people may be less interested in car ownership, potentially shifting toward car club memberships.

• New car emissions averaged 138g/km in 2011, following a four-year trend of annual decreases between 5g and 8.5g (averaging 6.6g). If this rate continues, emissions could reach 85g/km by 2020, which would exceed the proposed European target of 95g/km.
• To sustain progress in low-emission vehicle delivery as the economy recovers from recession, the 95g/km target for 2020 in Europe must be ratified quickly, and new targets for 2025 and 2030 should be established.
• In the United Kingdom, the adoption of electric vehicles has been slow over the past year, even with a government grant of £5,000, although the visibility of charging posts in cities is increasing.
• There is a potential trend termed "peak cars," characterized by a decreasing interest in car ownership among young people, which may lead to a shift toward car club memberships rather than individual ownership.

APA

King, J. (2012). The sustainable future of the automobile. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/the-sustainable-future-of-the-automobile/

Chicago

King, Julia. The sustainable future of the automobile. World Economic Forum, 2012. https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/the-sustainable-future-of-the-automobile/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=King |first1=Julia |title=The sustainable future of the automobile |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=15 May 2012 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/the-sustainable-future-of-the-automobile/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{king2012sustainable, author = {King, Julia}, title = {{The sustainable future of the automobile}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2012}, month = may, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/the-sustainable-future-of-the-automobile/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }