A new study by researchers at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia has concluded that, even if a zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate drives significant ZEV adoption, there is no “free-riding” ZEV adoption in neighboring areas. Regions wanting to boost EV adoption will need to implement their own stringent policies.

In “No free ride to zero-emissions: Simulating a region’s need to implement its own zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV) mandate to achieve 2050 GHG targets,” published in the journal Energy Policy, Maxwell Sykes and Jonn Axsen investigated the regional spillover effects and emissions impacts of the ZEV mandate in place in ten US states. They found that, even with the ZEV mandate driving high sales in ZEV states in the US, neighboring British Columbia can’t achieve significant ZEV adoption without implementing its own ZEV mandate.

For British Columbia to meet its 2050 greenhouse-gas targets, the province may need a ZEV mandate in addition to complementary climate policies such as fuel economy standards and low carbon fuel standards, the researchers found.

“Our focus on a ZEV mandate does not mean to imply that this is the only policy tool that is available to support a transition to ZEVs,” write Sykes and Axsen. “For example, while California’s ZEV mandate appears to play an important role in its leadership in North America’s ZEV sales, Norway leads the world in ZEV new market share due to its combination of very high gasoline taxes, very high conventional vehicle purchase taxes that do not apply to PEVs, and very generous non-financial incentives. Furthermore, California’s ZEV mandate is supported by multiple demand-focused policies and programs as part of California’s ZEV Program.”

Source: Energy Policy via Green Car Congress