There are a variety of causes to be nervous in regards to the ever-expanding footprint of automobiles, from pedestrian security and highway upkeep considerations to increased greenhouse-gas emissions. However in a manner, SUVs additionally signify an enormous alternative for local weather motion, since pulling the worst gas-guzzlers off the roads and changing them with electrical variations may very well be a giant step in slicing air pollution.
It’s clear that we’re heading towards a future with larger automobiles. Right here’s what it’d imply for the local weather, and for our future on the highway.
SUVs accounted for 48% of world automobile gross sales in 2023, based on a brand new evaluation from the Worldwide Vitality Company. This can be a continuation of a development towards larger automobiles—only a decade in the past, SUVs solely made up about 20% of recent car gross sales.
Huge automobiles imply massive emissions numbers. Final yr there have been greater than 360 million SUVs on the roads, and so they produced a billion metric tons of carbon dioxide. If SUVs have been a rustic, they’d have the fifth-highest emissions of any nation on the planet—greater than Japan. Of all of the energy-related emissions progress final yr, over 20% could be attributed to SUVs.
There are a number of components driving the world’s transfer towards bigger automobiles. Bigger automobiles are inclined to have increased revenue margins, so firms could also be extra more likely to make and push these fashions. And drivers are keen to leap on the bandwagon. I perceive the attraction—I discovered to drive in an enormous SUV, and with the ability to stretch out my legs and float a number of ft above visitors has its perks.
Electrical automobiles are very a lot following the development, with a number of firms unveiling bigger fashions prior to now few years. A few of these newly launched electrical SUVs are seeing huge success. The Tesla Mannequin Y, launched in 2020, was far and away the most well-liked EV final yr, with over 1.2 million models bought in 2023. The BYD Music (additionally an SUV) took second place with 630,000 bought.
Globally, SUVs made up almost 50% of recent EV gross sales in 2023, in comparison with just below 20% in 2018, based on the IEA’s World EV Outlook 2024. There’s additionally been a shift away from small automobiles (suppose the dimensions of the Fiat 500) and towards giant ones (much like the BMW 7-series).
And large-car obsession is a world phenomenon. The US is the land of the free and the house of the large automobiles—SUVs made up 65% of recent electric-vehicle gross sales within the nation in 2023. However different main markets aren’t all that far behind: in Europe, the share was 52%, and in China, it was 36%. (You may see the above chart damaged down by area from the IEA right here.)
