The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) states that air pollution has a detrimental impact on all aspects of human life and climatic conditions. Air pollution harms human health, obstructs economic development, affects food security, facilitates climate change, and deteriorates the environment, upon which the livelihood of every individual depends. To mitigate its levels, the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution is focusing on the implementation of protocols such as the Gothenburg Protocol to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level Ozone, in Eastern Europe, South-Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Caucus.
In the same vein, the World Health Organization (WHO) monitors the progress on health indicators to track the progress in achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) 3,7, and 11. The SDG target 3.9.1 calls for a notable reduction in air-pollution-related illnesses and deaths. Similarly, the SDG target 11.6.2 aims to decrease the environmental impact of cities by improving the air quality. The surging global focus on reducing air pollution will, therefore, help the low-emission vehicle market grow in the foreseeable future, as vehicular pollution is a major cause of climate change.
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| Low Emission Vehicle Market - P&S Intelligence |
Moreover, the increasing developments in the battery technology will steer people toward low-emission vehicles in the foreseeable future. Automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and auto component firms are constantly working toward developing efficient and eco-friendly batteries to improve the life of pure electric vehicles (EVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), mild HEVs, and full HEVs. These automobiles contain nickel–metal hydride, lithium-ion (Li-ion), metal hydride, lead–acid, and nickel–cadmium batteries.
Currently, companies operating in the low-emission vehicle market, such as Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., Toyota Motor Corporation, Honeywell International Inc., and Volkswagen AG, are focusing on research and development (R&D) activities for fuel-efficient vehicles. For instance, the automotive industry is producing lightweight vehicles in large numbers to meet the burgeoning demand for fuel efficiency, owing to the low fuel requirement of such vehicles.
Thus, the rising global focus on mitigating air pollution, increasing implementation of emission norms, and strengthening EV charging infrastructure are encouraging the adoption of low-emission vehicles.
