Cars and Greenhouse Gas Goals: A Big Stone in Europe’s Shoes

If new technologies can increase production efficiency and reduce the consumption of natural resources, they can also bring new environmental risks. This dynamic is particularly relevant for the automotive industry, since it is one of the sectors that invests most in R&D, but at the same time al...

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Main Authors: Roberto Ivo da Rocha Lima Filho, Thereza Cristina Nogueira de Aquino, Anderson Costa Reis, Bernardo Motta
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/13/3371
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author Roberto Ivo da Rocha Lima Filho
Thereza Cristina Nogueira de Aquino
Anderson Costa Reis
Bernardo Motta
author_facet Roberto Ivo da Rocha Lima Filho
Thereza Cristina Nogueira de Aquino
Anderson Costa Reis
Bernardo Motta
author_sort Roberto Ivo da Rocha Lima Filho
collection DOAJ
description If new technologies can increase production efficiency and reduce the consumption of natural resources, they can also bring new environmental risks. This dynamic is particularly relevant for the automotive industry, since it is one of the sectors that invests most in R&D, but at the same time also contributes a significant portion of greenhouse gas emissions and consumes a large amount of energy. This article aims to analyze the feasibility of meeting the environmental targets in place within 32 European countries in light of the recent technological trajectory of the automotive industry, namely with regard to the adoption of the propulsion model’s alternative to oil and diesel. Using data disaggregated by countries from 2000 up until 2020, in this paper, the estimated regressions aimed to not only verify whether electrical vehicles had a positive impact on CO<sub>2</sub> emissions found in the European market, but to also assess whether they will meet the target set for the next 30 years, with attention to the economy recovery after 2025 and a more robust EV market penetration in replacement of traditional fossil fuels cars.
format Article
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series Energies
spelling doaj-art-d0e2fb1e5c8c41ebbe0bc514200572ad2025-08-20T03:16:42ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732025-06-011813337110.3390/en18133371Cars and Greenhouse Gas Goals: A Big Stone in Europe’s ShoesRoberto Ivo da Rocha Lima Filho0Thereza Cristina Nogueira de Aquino1Anderson Costa Reis2Bernardo Motta3Department of Industrial Engineering, COPPE—Production Engineering Programme, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-909, BrazilDepartment of Industrial Engineering, COPPE—Production Engineering Programme, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-909, BrazilDepartment of Transportation, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-909, BrazilSchool of Social and Political Sciences (ISCSP), University of Lisbon, 1300-663 Lisbon, PortugalIf new technologies can increase production efficiency and reduce the consumption of natural resources, they can also bring new environmental risks. This dynamic is particularly relevant for the automotive industry, since it is one of the sectors that invests most in R&D, but at the same time also contributes a significant portion of greenhouse gas emissions and consumes a large amount of energy. This article aims to analyze the feasibility of meeting the environmental targets in place within 32 European countries in light of the recent technological trajectory of the automotive industry, namely with regard to the adoption of the propulsion model’s alternative to oil and diesel. Using data disaggregated by countries from 2000 up until 2020, in this paper, the estimated regressions aimed to not only verify whether electrical vehicles had a positive impact on CO<sub>2</sub> emissions found in the European market, but to also assess whether they will meet the target set for the next 30 years, with attention to the economy recovery after 2025 and a more robust EV market penetration in replacement of traditional fossil fuels cars.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/13/3371sustainable mobilitydecarbonizationelectric vehiclesgeneral linear modelscross-section with time seriesfixed effects
spellingShingle Roberto Ivo da Rocha Lima Filho
Thereza Cristina Nogueira de Aquino
Anderson Costa Reis
Bernardo Motta
Cars and Greenhouse Gas Goals: A Big Stone in Europe’s Shoes
Energies
sustainable mobility
decarbonization
electric vehicles
general linear models
cross-section with time series
fixed effects
title Cars and Greenhouse Gas Goals: A Big Stone in Europe’s Shoes
title_full Cars and Greenhouse Gas Goals: A Big Stone in Europe’s Shoes
title_fullStr Cars and Greenhouse Gas Goals: A Big Stone in Europe’s Shoes
title_full_unstemmed Cars and Greenhouse Gas Goals: A Big Stone in Europe’s Shoes
title_short Cars and Greenhouse Gas Goals: A Big Stone in Europe’s Shoes
title_sort cars and greenhouse gas goals a big stone in europe s shoes
topic sustainable mobility
decarbonization
electric vehicles
general linear models
cross-section with time series
fixed effects
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/13/3371
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