The negative impact on the climate from passenger vehicles, which is considerable, could have dropped by more than 30% over the past decade if not for the world’s appetite for large cars, a new report from the Global Fuel Economy Initiative suggests.
Sport utility vehicles, or SUVs, now account for more than half of all new car sales across the globe, the group said, and it’s not alone. The International Energy Agency, using a narrower definition of SUV, estimates they make up nearly half.
Over the years these cars have gotten bigger and so has their cost to the climate, as carbon dioxide emissions “are almost directly proportional to fuel use” for gas-powered cars. The carbon that goes in at the pump comes out the tailpipe.
Transportation is responsible for around one-quarter of all the climate-warming gases that come from energy, and much of that is attributable to passenger transport, according to the International Energy Agency.
I think this is a double edged sword; It is easier for auto makes to make a profit on larger vehicles. Example of Ford discontinuing all cars in US except mustang in 2019 because of profitability. Americans feel they must compete in the road arms race because they do not feel safe with larger and larger vehicles. There is more demand for bigger vehicles and bigger vehicles make more profit, naturally this will explode into every manufacturer making larger things.
Next up: Caterpillar will release their ASV (armored security vehicle) to the civilian market and it sells like hotcakes!