OverviewAlthough electric vehicles can significantly contribute to energy consumption efficiency, reduction of carbon dioxideemissions and independence from petroleum imports, numerous technical and economic challenges burden electricvehicle mass-market adoption (Kley et al., 2010). Having faced the problems of air quality decrease, a number ofcountries worldwide are striving to promote electric vehicle usage. One of the reasons why natural market entry forelectric vehicles is relatively slow can be linked to their prices, which are higher than the prices of traditional fossilfuel-driven vehicles. Trying to improve the situation, national and local authorities develop promotive policyinstruments which enhance competitiveness of electric vehicles and increase their popularity among consumers(Yang et al., 2016). Significant public interest in electromotive technologies and the environmental impact of thesetechnologies determines topicality of such problems as efficiency and effects of electric vehicle promotion measuresresearched by Hall et al. (2017), Hall and Lutsey (2017), Jin and Slowik (2017), Yang et al. (2016), Mock and Yang(2014), Alhulail and Takeuchi (2014), Windisch (2013), Perdiguero and Jiménez (2012), and many other authors. Interms of promotion of the transition from traditional fossil fuel-driven vehicles to electric vehicles, local authoritiesdo not lag behind national authorities and demonstrate the ability to significantly reduce carbon emissions in thetransport sector. Even after incorporating upstream emissions, electric vehicles provide a carbon emission reductionadvantage, which in Chinese, European and U.S. markets varies from 30% to over 98% in comparison to thestatistics of traditional fossil fuel-driven vehicles. In the area of electric vehicle promotion, contribution of not onlycar manufacturers but also energy producers is essential, especially in terms of energy decarbonisation (Hall et al.2017). Nevertheless, electric vehicle promotion systems, measures and even goals may significantly vary at differentlevels: some of them are implemented at a national level, while others are orientated towards local resources andfocus areas (Yang et. al, 2016). Particular effects can also be caused by some other determinants. For instance,Alhulail and Takeuchi (2014) note that the sales of eco-friendly cars can be significantly affected by fuel prices, carmodel prices and population income. Fuel prices, however, are not stable, and even if high prices can affect the salesof eco-friendly cars, these changes can turn out to be only temporary. The main purpose of this article is to researchthe most common electric vehicle usage promotion measures at different administrative levels.MethodsInterdesciplinary research, literature review.ResultsThe review of the key differences between the focus areas and promotion measures implemented at the national andlocal administrative levels has been presented in table (compiled by the authors) below:ConclusionsThe above-analysed examples of electric vehicle promotion indicate that complementation of national policyschemes with local policy measures may help to create electric vehicle-favourable environment and reduce barriersfor consumers. Development of charging infrastructures, considered to be the key determinant of electric vehiclepromotion, is the responsibility of both national and local authorities: national authorities set the standards and buildhighway infrastructures, while local authorities take care of arrangement of charging points in each of microdistricts.Arrangement of charging points can be treated not only as a promotive measure (especially, minding subsidies,grants or preferential loans for establishment of charging points at homes, workplaces or public areas), but also asbuilding of the necessary infrastructure.In the initial stage of electric vehicle promotion, the actions of national authorities that set the political aims ofgeneral planning and co-ordination serve as a signal to manufacturers and service provides about the changes in thedemand for electric vehicles in the future. Standardisation, which ensures interaction of electric vehicles inside andoutside a country, along with economic and regulatory mechanisms can be treated as the other key instruments. Themain purpose of financial incentives is to reduce electric vehicle prices or usage costs so that the critical differencesbetween electric and traditional vehicle costs would be eliminated. Regulatory mechanisms, such as pollution taxes,restrictions and limitations, can cause side effects for the substitutes of electric vehicles. The decisions of nationalauthorities may affect fossil fuel prices, while the growth of petrol and diesel prices may directly affect the usage ofalternative means of transportation. In this case, sales mandates, which fix the proportion of electric vehicles in thetotal number of newly-sold vehicles, can be introduced. The other method, applied in China, is provision of electricvehicle purchase subsidies only for domestically made vehicles. Summarising, it can be stated that the actions ofnational authorities are concentrated at the macro level.Despite significance of the role of national authorities, it is also the case that local authorities are closer toconsumers, and therefore can more efficiently communicate with all social groups and co-operate with business,which, in turn, helps to create synergy by employing not only financial and non-financial measures, but alsomarketing campaigns, consulting and provision of the basic information. The latter measures qualitatively changeconsumer attitudes towards alternative transports. Local authorities can also take the initiative to reform car, publictransport and taxi fleets. They have a direct impact on the micro-level focus areas which are linked to traffic andtransport regulation: parking policies, traffic management tools and urban access restrictions. Such benefits asconvenience and cost saving opportunities are effective electric vehicle purchase and usage motivators. Successfulpilot projects implemented on a city scale combine multiple measures.The findings of this research do not propose that the functions of national and local authorities never duplicate, andthe similar or same financial and non-financial measures are never employed at the national and local levels. On thecontrary, adjustment of national and local actions along with a comprehensive approach towards electric vehiclepromotion can significantly enhance the efficiency of the measures applied. Regions (the role of which has not beencomprehensively analysed in this article) are intermediates between national and local authorities. They can also playa significant role in implementation of regional policies. It should be noted that the conclusions of this research onthe functions of national and local authorities reflect the regular trends. However, in some cases, irregularadministrative distributions can be found. For instance, Chinese municipal authorities provide the subsidies that arecommonly provided by national authorities; vast majority of electric vehicle promotion measures in Norway areimplemented at the national rather than local level, etc. Hence, as sets of municipal functions and powers may differ,the measures implemented in particular jurisdictions not necessarily suit other jurisdictions.
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