National electromobility policies and socio-technical transitions: A comparative analysis of Europe and Latin America

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The literature review on the expansion of the global electromobility value chain reveals the need for more studies on emerging countries. Actually, various studies have focused on European countries, overlooking the experiences held in low- and middle-income countries, especially in Latin America (LATAM), which can become important players in the electric automotive expansion. Therefore, this study analyzes the evolution of the bus market in Europe and LATAM. To fill the gap in the literature that addresses the reasons that explain the current rates of electric buses in LATAM, a social embedding analysis is conducted for evaluating the Brazilian and Mexican cases following the conceptual framework commonly applied in the literature on European countries. Findings show that the current conceptual framework that grounds the transport energy transition should be complemented with a new dimension called ‘Institutional Autonomy,’ to better encompass the experience of LATAM. This dimension addresses the sovereignty of local and federal institutions in these countries and their capacity to implement sustainable Transport. Furthermore, a reshaping of the regulatory environment dimension is suggested to assess the public policies results in LATAM.