IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/transa/v78y2015icp371-383.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Spontaneous emergence versus technology management in sustainable mobility transitions: Electric bicycles in China

Author

Listed:
  • Wells, Peter
  • Lin, Xiao

Abstract

This paper describes and seeks to understand the scale of the electric bicycle (electric two-wheeler) market in China, and to begin to explain its emergence with a view to outlining the prospects for learning from this case for applications in other countries around the world. Drawing on secondary data from Chinese government sources, electric bicycle industry websites, Chinese media sites and other sources, this exploratory paper positions the development of the electric bicycle market as occurring largely in the absence of positive policy intervention – in stark contrast to the nurturing afforded the electric car sector world-wide. The paper develops a multi-scalar perspective of transitions theory in an institutional setting, with examples drawn from Beijing and Fuzhou, to explain the processes of change outside of the traditional reference context of technology policy and management. It is concluded that transitions theory has a greater flexibility and adaptability as an explanatory framework than previously shown, but empirically the electric two-wheeler is a weakly-embedded alternative to mainstream automobility.

Suggested Citation

  • Wells, Peter & Lin, Xiao, 2015. "Spontaneous emergence versus technology management in sustainable mobility transitions: Electric bicycles in China," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 371-383.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:transa:v:78:y:2015:i:c:p:371-383
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tra.2015.05.022
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965856415001585
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.tra.2015.05.022?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Marsden, Greg & Docherty, Iain, 2013. "Insights on disruptions as opportunities for transport policy change," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 46-55.
    2. Chris Kimble & Hua Wang, 2013. "China's new energy vehicles: value and innovation," Post-Print halshs-00859484, HAL.
    3. Weinert, Jonathan X., 2007. "The Rise of Electric Two-wheelers in China: Factors for their Success and Implications for the Future," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt9wn5r8tj, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
    4. Li, Yan & DaCosta, Maria N., 2013. "Transportation and income inequality in China: 1978–2007," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 56-71.
    5. Cherry, Christopher R. & Weinert, Jonathan X. & Yang, Xinmiao, 2009. "Comparative Environmental Impacts of Electric Bikes in China," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt16k918sh, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
    6. Coenen, Lars & Benneworth, Paul & Truffer, Bernhard, 2012. "Toward a spatial perspective on sustainability transitions," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(6), pages 968-979.
    7. Wells, Peter & Nieuwenhuis, Paul, 2012. "Transition failure: Understanding continuity in the automotive industry," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 79(9), pages 1681-1692.
    8. Brand, Christian & Anable, Jillian & Tran, Martino, 2013. "Accelerating the transformation to a low carbon passenger transport system: The role of car purchase taxes, feebates, road taxes and scrappage incentives in the UK," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 132-148.
    9. Geels, Frank W. & Schot, Johan, 2007. "Typology of sociotechnical transition pathways," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 399-417, April.
    10. Small, Kenneth A., 2012. "Energy policies for passenger motor vehicles," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 46(6), pages 874-889.
    11. Cherry, Christopher & Cervero, Robert, 2007. "Use characteristics and mode choice behavior of electric bike users in China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 14(3), pages 247-257, May.
    12. Beck, Matthew J. & Rose, John M. & Hensher, David A., 2013. "Environmental attitudes and emissions charging: An example of policy implications for vehicle choice," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 171-182.
    13. Weinert, Jonathan X. & Ogden, Joan M. & Sperling, Dan & Burke, Andy, 2008. "The future of electric two-wheelers and electric vehicles in China," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt0d05f8v9, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
    14. Geels, Frank W., 2002. "Technological transitions as evolutionary reconfiguration processes: a multi-level perspective and a case-study," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(8-9), pages 1257-1274, December.
    15. Lopes, Mafalda Mendes & Moura, Filipe & Martinez, Luis M., 2014. "A rule-based approach for determining the plausible universe of electric vehicle buyers in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 22-36.
    16. Weinert, Jonathan & Ogden, Joan & Sperling, Dan & Burke, Andrew, 2008. "The future of electric two-wheelers and electric vehicles in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(7), pages 2544-2555, July.
    17. Petschnig, Martin & Heidenreich, Sven & Spieth, Patrick, 2014. "Innovative alternatives take action – Investigating determinants of alternative fuel vehicle adoption," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 68-83.
    18. Yi Zhang & Wei Wu & Yuan Li & Qixing Liu & Chaoyang Li, 2014. "Does the Built Environment Make a Difference? An Investigation of Household Vehicle Use in Zhongshan Metropolitan Area, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(8), pages 1-21, August.
    19. Smith, Adrian & Stirling, Andy & Berkhout, Frans, 2005. "The governance of sustainable socio-technical transitions," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(10), pages 1491-1510, December.
    20. Jonathan Weinert & Chaktan Ma & Christopher Cherry, 2007. "The transition to electric bikes in China: history and key reasons for rapid growth," Transportation, Springer, vol. 34(3), pages 301-318, May.
    21. Kemp, Rene & Avelino, Flor & Bressers, Nanny, 2011. "Transition management as a model for sustainable mobility," European Transport \ Trasporti Europei, ISTIEE, Institute for the Study of Transport within the European Economic Integration, issue 47, pages 26-46.
    22. Huiming Gong & Michael Wang & Hewu Wang, 2013. "New energy vehicles in China: policies, demonstration, and progress," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 207-228, February.
    23. Steinhilber, Simone & Wells, Peter & Thankappan, Samarthia, 2013. "Socio-technical inertia: Understanding the barriers to electric vehicles," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 531-539.
    24. Geoffrey Rose, 2012. "E-bikes and urban transportation: emerging issues and unresolved questions," Transportation, Springer, vol. 39(1), pages 81-96, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Bingqiang Li & Lei Huang, 2019. "The Effect of Incremental Innovation and Disruptive Innovation on the Sustainable Development of Manufacturing in China," SAGE Open, , vol. 9(1), pages 21582440198, February.
    2. Kębłowski, Wojciech & Dobruszkes, Frédéric & Boussauw, Kobe, 2022. "Moving past sustainable transport studies: Towards a critical perspective on urban transport," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 74-83.
    3. Bo Chen & Christophe Midler & Joël Ruet, 2019. "The development of electric vehicles in China: Market facts and regulatory trends," Post-Print hal-03085772, HAL.
    4. Jie Ma & Xin Ye & Cheng Shi, 2018. "Development of Multivariate Ordered Probit Model to Understand Household Vehicle Ownership Behavior in Xiaoshan District of Hangzhou, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-17, October.
    5. Bo Chen & Christophe Midler & Joël Ruet, 2018. "Le développement du véhicule électrique en Chine : réalités du marché et dynamiques réglementaires," Post-Print hal-03085769, HAL.
    6. Ba Hung, Nguyen & Jaewon, Sung & Lim, Ocktaeck, 2017. "A study of the effects of input parameters on the dynamics and required power of an electric bicycle," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 204(C), pages 1347-1362.
    7. Martin Kalthaus & Jiatang Sun, 2021. "Determinants of Electric Vehicle Diffusion in China," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 80(3), pages 473-510, November.
    8. Lin, Xiao & Wells, Peter & Sovacool, Benjamin K., 2018. "The death of a transport regime? The future of electric bicycles and transportation pathways for sustainable mobility in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 255-267.
    9. Liqiao Wang & Peter Wells, 2020. "Automobilities after SARS-CoV-2: A Socio-Technical Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-14, July.
    10. Xue, Fei & Yao, Enjian & Jin, Fanglei, 2020. "Exploring residential relocation behavior for families with workers and students; a study from Beijing, China," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    11. Chen, Ching-Fu & Eccarius, Timo & Su, Pin-Chi, 2021. "The role of environmental concern in forming intentions for switching to electric scooters," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 129-144.
    12. Senlai Zhu & Jie Ma & Tianpei Tang & Quan Shi, 2020. "A Combined Modal and Route Choice Behavioral Complementarity Equilibrium Model with Users of Vehicles and Electric Bicycles," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-18, May.
    13. Tyfield, David & Zuev, Dennis, 2018. "Stasis, dynamism and emergence of the e-mobility system in China: A power relational perspective," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 259-270.
    14. Nan Ye & Linjie Gao & Zhicai Juan & Anning Ni, 2018. "Are People from Households with Children More Likely to Travel by Car? An Empirical Investigation of Individual Travel Mode Choices in Shanghai, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-14, December.
    15. Lin, Xiao & Wells, Peter & Sovacool, Benjamin K., 2017. "Benign mobility? Electric bicycles, sustainable transport consumption behaviour and socio-technical transitions in Nanjing, China," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 223-234.
    16. Sam Wilkinson & Michele John & Gregory M. Morrison, 2021. "Rooftop PV and the Renewable Energy Transition; a Review of Driving Forces and Analytical Frameworks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-25, May.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Lin, Xiao & Wells, Peter & Sovacool, Benjamin K., 2018. "The death of a transport regime? The future of electric bicycles and transportation pathways for sustainable mobility in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 255-267.
    2. Berggren, Christian & Magnusson, Thomas & Sushandoyo, Dedy, 2015. "Transition pathways revisited: Established firms as multi-level actors in the heavy vehicle industry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(5), pages 1017-1028.
    3. Li, Xintong & Han, Chunyang & Huang, Helai & Pervez, Amjad & Xu, Guangming & Hu, Cheng & Jiang, Qianshan & Wei, Yulu, 2023. "Pursuing higher acceptability and compliance for electric two-wheeler standardization policy in China: The importance of socio-demographic characteristics, psychological factors, and travel habits," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    4. Yide Liu & Ivan Ka Wai Lai, 2020. "The Effects of Environmental Policy and the Perception of Electric Motorcycles on the Acceptance of Electric Motorcycles: An Empirical Study in Macau," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(1), pages 21582440198, January.
    5. Thomas, Alainna, 2016. "A More Sustainable Minivan? An Exploratory Study of Electric Bicycle Use by San Francisco Bay Area Families," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt6g79m3xx, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
    6. Canitez, Fatih, 2019. "Pathways to sustainable urban mobility in developing megacities: A socio-technical transition perspective," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 319-329.
    7. Roesler, Tim & Hassler, Markus, 2019. "Creating niches – The role of policy for the implementation of bioenergy village cooperatives in Germany," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 95-101.
    8. Kishimoto, Paul N. & Zhang, Da & Zhang, Xiliang & Karplus, Valerie J., 2013. "Modeling regional transportation demand in China and the impacts of a national carbon constraint," Conference papers 332390, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    9. Hirschhorn, Fabio & Paulsson, Alexander & Sørensen, Claus H. & Veeneman, Wijnand, 2019. "Public transport regimes and mobility as a service: Governance approaches in Amsterdam, Birmingham, and Helsinki," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 178-191.
    10. Fuenfschilling, Lea & Binz, Christian, 2018. "Global socio-technical regimes," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(4), pages 735-749.
    11. Svensson, Oscar & Nikoleris, Alexandra, 2018. "Structure reconsidered: Towards new foundations of explanatory transitions theory," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(2), pages 462-473.
    12. Nikas, A. & Koasidis, K. & Köberle, A.C. & Kourtesi, G. & Doukas, H., 2022. "A comparative study of biodiesel in Brazil and Argentina: An integrated systems of innovation perspective," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    13. Nilsson, Måns & Nykvist, Björn, 2016. "Governing the electric vehicle transition – Near term interventions to support a green energy economy," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 1360-1371.
    14. Manning, Stephan & Reinecke, Juliane, 2016. "A modular governance architecture in-the-making: How transnational standard-setters govern sustainability transitions," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(3), pages 618-633.
    15. Sorrell, Steve, 2018. "Explaining sociotechnical transitions: A critical realist perspective," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(7), pages 1267-1282.
    16. Jun Li & Jiachao Shen & Bicen Jia, 2021. "Exploring Intention to Use Shared Electric Bicycles by the Extended Theory of Planned Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-13, April.
    17. Daniel Newman & Peter Wells & Ceri Donovan & Paul Nieuwenhuis & Huw Davies, 2014. "Urban, sub-urban or rural: where is the best place for electric vehicles?," International Journal of Automotive Technology and Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 14(3/4), pages 306-323.
    18. Geoffrey Rose, 2012. "E-bikes and urban transportation: emerging issues and unresolved questions," Transportation, Springer, vol. 39(1), pages 81-96, January.
    19. Zhao, Chunli & Nielsen, Thomas Alexander Sick & Olafsson, Anton Stahl & Carstensen, Trine Agervig & Meng, Xiaoying, 2018. "Urban form, demographic and socio-economic correlates of walking, cycling, and e-biking: Evidence from eight neighborhoods in Beijing," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 102-112.
    20. Jago Dodson, 2014. "Suburbia under an Energy Transition: A Socio-technical Perspective," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 51(7), pages 1487-1505, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:transa:v:78:y:2015:i:c:p:371-383. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/547/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.