Nurtured competition and optimal vehicle life: A missing theme in public policy formulation for alternative vehicle technologies?

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Résumé:

This paper explores the problem of introducing low carbon vehicles in a context where original equipment manufacturers face 'nurtured competition' in the form of sizeable existing fleets of older vehicles embodying conventional (ICE) technologies. Following a review of complementary policy features in a national case study (Britain), it identifies the operation of the used car market as pivotal to the operation of the new car market. It concludes with a brief assessment of future modelling agendas, organised around a discussion of optimal vehicle life, to close the missing policy theme thereby exposed.