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Do technical improvements lead to real efficiency gains? Disaggregating changes in transport energy intensity

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  • Craglia, Matteo
  • Cullen, Jonathan

Abstract

Fuel economy standards are a key measure to increase the rate of efficiency improvements in passenger cars. The fuel consumption of vehicles can be improved in three ways: incremental technical efficiency improvements within powertrain technologies, market shifts to more efficient types of powertrains and by limiting increases in the size and performance of vehicles. This study quantifies the effect of each of these three drivers on the fuel consumption of British vehicles between 2001 and 2018 using driver-reported data on real-world fuel consumption. Analysis shows the introduction of EU fuel economy standards in 2008/09 had little effect on the rate of real technical efficiency improvements in British vehicles. Instead of adopting technical improvements at a higher rate or limiting the size and power of vehicles, these results suggest vehicle manufacturers met emissions standards by increasing the divergence between laboratory tests and real-world fuel consumption. This study adds to the growing literature calling for official test procedures to be representative of real-world driving.

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  • Craglia, Matteo & Cullen, Jonathan, 2019. "Do technical improvements lead to real efficiency gains? Disaggregating changes in transport energy intensity," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:134:y:2019:i:c:s0301421519305786
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2019.110991
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    Cited by:

    1. Rafael Fernandes Mosquim & Carlos Eduardo Keutenedjian Mady, 2022. "Performance and Efficiency Trade-Offs in Brazilian Passenger Vehicle Fleet," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-22, July.
    2. Zhou, Wenbin & Cleaver, Christopher J. & Dunant, Cyrille F. & Allwood, Julian M. & Lin, Jianguo, 2023. "Cost, range anxiety and future electricity supply: A review of how today's technology trends may influence the future uptake of BEVs," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    3. Cyrille F. Dunant & Trishla Shah & Michał P. Drewniok & Matteo Craglia & Jonathan M. Cullen, 2021. "A new method to estimate the lifetime of long‐life product categories," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 25(2), pages 321-332, April.
    4. Craglia, Matteo & Cullen, Jonathan, 2020. "Do vehicle efficiency improvements lead to energy savings? The rebound effect in Great Britain," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    5. Galvin, Ray & Martulli, Alessandro & Ruzzenenti, Franco, 2021. "Does power curb energy efficiency? Evidence from two decades of European truck tests," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 232(C).
    6. Goh, Tian & Zhong, Sheng & Ang, B.W. & Su, Bin & Ng, Szu Hui & Chai, Kah-Hin, 2021. "Driving factors of changes in international maritime energy consumption: Microdata evidence 2014–2017," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).

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