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Intellectual Property and Competition Law

Is the Transition to E-mobility the Silver Bullet to Achieve Climate-neutral Transport? An Interdisciplinary Review in the Search for Consistency and Collateral Effects

Esteban, HelmutIs the Transition to E-mobility the Silver Bullet to Achieve Climate-neutral Transport? An Interdisciplinary Review in the Search for Consistency and Collateral Effects European Business Law Review 34, 1 (2023), 81 - 98 (together with Begoña Gonzalez Otero).

The ambition of the Paris Agreement implies climate neutrality by 2050, unless other large sectors with negative emissions take over. Existing public policies aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the sustainability of all transport modes, especially cars. Nevertheless, a coherent transition to zero-carbon mobility is crucial for addressing socio-economic challenges and achieving equitable industrial change. If poorly managed, the potential social and economic damage will be unacceptable. Based on a comparative policy and regulatory analysis of electrified vehicles (EVs) in three regions, this paper highlights some of their advantages and disadvantages and makes recommendations to overcome some of the bottlenecks. The transition to electric mobility, if we really want to achieve the Paris goals, has the potential to be a climate policy game-changer and lead the evolution towards an economic system that aims to eliminate waste throughout the value chain and for all stakeholders, taking into account issues of equity and justice. This requires a coherent and globally coordinated policy that not only promotes an innovation pathway for EVs, but also includes energy production from renewable sources while ensuring their supply and independence. Similarly, the industry needs a radical transformation of the automotive sector, energy consumption and current infrastructure investments.

Also published as: Max Planck Institute for Innovation & Competition Research Paper No. 22-19 under the title: Promoting Sustainable Innovation-Led Growth? The Potential and Risks of EV Policies