Hybrid-Electric Vehicle Technology in Sweden 1990-2010
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
SEI - Africa Institute of Resource Assessment University of Dar es Salaam P.O. Box 35097, Dar es Salaam Tanzania Tel: +255-(0)766079061 SEI - Asia 15th Floor, Witthyakit Building 254 Chulalongkorn University Chulalongkorn Soi 64 Phyathai Road, Pathumwan Bangkok 10330 Thailand Tel+(66) 22514415 Stockholm Environment Institute, Project Report - 2011 SEI - Oxford Suite 193 266 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 7DL UK Tel+44 1865 426316 SEI - Stockholm Kräftriket 2B SE -106 91 Stockholm Sweden Tel+46 8 674 7070 SEI - Tallinn Lai 34, Box 160 EE-10502, Tallinn Estonia Tel+372 6 276 100 SEI - U.S. 11 Curtis Avenue Somerville, MA 02144 USA Tel+1 617 627-3786 SEI - York University of York Heslington York YO10 5DD UK Tel+44 1904 43 2897 The Stockholm Environment Institute Governance of Innovation for Sustainable Transport SEI is an independent, international research institute.It has been engaged in environment and development issues at local, national, Hybrid-electric Vehicle Technology in Sweden regional and global policy levels for more than a quarter of a century. 1990-2010 SEI supports decision making for sustainable development by bridging science and policy. Thomas Magnusson sei-international.org Governance of Innovation for Sustainable Transport Hybrid-electric Vehicle Technology in Sweden 1990-2010 Thomas Magnusson* * IMIT – Institute for Management of Innovation and Technology Stockholm Environment Institute Kräftriket 2B SE 106 91 Stockholm Sweden Tel: +46 8 674 7070 Fax: +46 8 674 7020 Web: www.sei-international.org Head of Communications: Robert Watt Publications Manager: Erik Willis Layout: Richard Clay Cover Photo: © One Tonne Life/flickr This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or non-profit purposes, without special per- mission from the copyright holder(s) provided acknowledgement of the source is made. No use of this publication may be made for resale or other commercial purpose, without the written permission of the copyright holder(s). Copyright © June 2011 by Stockholm Environment Institute Contents Executive summary v 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Background 1 1.2 Purpose and methods 1 1.3 Hybrid-electric power trains 2 1.4 Product applications 5 1.5 Industry actors 6 1.6 Public actors 7 2 Hybrid-electric vehicle developments 1990-2010 9 2.1 1990-95: Air quality issues and concept vehicles 9 2.2 1995-2000: Kyoto, Prius and demonstrations 10 2.3 2000-2005: New configurations and raised fuel prices 13 2.4 2005-2010: IPCC, market ambitions and financial crisis 15 3 Swedish Hybrid TIS functionality 1990-2010 21 3.1 Knowledge development and diffusion 22 3.2 Influence on direction of search 24 3.3 Entrepreneurial experimentation 26 3.4 Market formation 28 3.5 Legitimation 31 3.6 Resource mobilization 34 4 Discussion and conclusions 37 4.1 Influence of international governance 37 4.2 Influence of Swedish governance 37 4.3 Implications for governance 39 References 41 Appendix 1: Data sources and methods 44 International governance and industry dynamics 44 Swedish governance and industry activities 45 Interview guide 47 Appendix 2: TIS-functionality indicators 48 Appendix 3: Functionality assessment 49 Appendix 4: Governance arrangements 50 International governance 50 Swedish governance 51 Appendix 5: Coding of governance arrangements 53 iv exeCutive summary his report presents results from the research project quality problems. Pending regulation made it urgent TGIST-Governance of Innovation for Sustainable for vehicle manufacturers to address these problems. Transport, a 3-year research project funded by Formas However, by the early 2000s it had become clear that and conducted in collaboration between IMIT-Institute neither battery-electric nor hybrid-electric vehicle for Management of Innovation and Technology and technology would not be the preferred option to remedy SEI-Stockholm Environment Institute. urban air quality problems. Instead, fuel efficiency and reduced CO2 emissions emerged as a prime driver for Using a functional approach to technological hybridisation. Still, the level of activity in the Swedish innovation systems (TIS) combined with a multi- hybrid-electric vehicle TIS stagnated by the late 1990s level framework of technological change, the report and early 2000s. It was not until the mid 2000s that describes and analyses the development of hybrid- the motives were sufficiently strong for the Swedish electric vehicle technology in Sweden 1990-2010. vehicle manufacturers to advance hybrid technology The multilevel framework captures the interplay further, engaging in product development directed at between the focal innovation system (i.e. the Swedish commercialization. At this stage, the manufacturers hybrid-electric vehicle TIS), dynamisms in the global felt strong signals from several sources. Firstly, the automotive industry and public environmental debates. sales figures of Toyota’s hybrid car Prius on the US This description provides a basis for analysing the market had showed that there was a potential market functionality of a number of essential sub-processes for hybrid vehicles. Secondly, souring fuel prices in the technological innovation system, including: made it possible, or at least plausible, to justify hybrid knowledge development and diffusion, influence on vehicles based on cost rationales. direction of search, entrepreneurial experimentation, market formation, legitimation and resource The analysis shows how national level governance mobilisation. The report further discusses how various arrangements primarily have addressed the development governance arrangements have influenced these sub- and diffusion of product-related technological processes during the studied time period. knowledge, and to some extent entrepreneurial experimentation and resource mobilisation. Other The study describes several activities the Swedish sub-processes seem to have been down-played. hybrid-electric vehicle TIS, ranging from public The analysis further shows how innovation system displays of concept vehicles and development of actors continuously have had to adapt their policies prototypes to field trials and market launches. It further to international trends such as fluctuating oil prices, shows how a range of governance arrangements environmental debates, and crises and dynamism in the on different levels (local/regional, national, supra- global automotive industry. It furthermore shows how national) has influenced theses activities. The 1990s it has been necessary for national level governance was characterized by a number of experimentation, actors to find international support to be able to affect testing and demonstration activities. These activities legitimation processes and influence the direction of were primarily justified by a need to remedy urban air search in the innovation system. v vi stockholm environment institute 1 introduCtion his report presents part of the results of GIST- is also advanced to denote that the rules that shape TGovernance of Innovation for Sustainable interactions between actors, as well as the use of Transport, a 3-year research project funded by different instruments, have changed. Moreover, the Formas and conducted in collaboration between coordination necessary to achieve innovation in more IMIT-Institute for Management of Innovation and sustainable technologies relies on forms of social Technology and SEI-Stockholm Environment initiatives that often take place outside traditional Institute. The project uses a functional approach to policy instruments such as coercive measures and Technological Innovation Systems (TIS) (Carlsson regulation from the state. & Stankiewicz, 1991; Hekkert et al. 2007; Bergek et al., 2008) to describe and analyse the development A technological innovation system is typically and implementation of more sustainable road conditioned by a particular mix of governance transport technologies. It further addresses how such arrangements, which spans across modes, from developments can be supported by different kinds of standard setting to market signalling and softer governance arrangements. approaches such as R&D subsidies. They intervene as part of the context and more specifically infuse political or market signals into the system. Following 1.1 BackgrounD a TIS approach, the GIST research project considers the challenge for governance being to remedy The GIST research project combines the TIS poor innovation system functionality. This means approach with a multi-level perspective, which that different governance arrangements can be has been outlined as a framework to discuss socio- implemented to promote a further development of technical transitions (Rip and Kemp 1998; Geels the system, which in turn will support the innovation 2002; Markard & Truffer, 2008). The purpose is to process. The assumption is then, that governance analyse how various governance arrangements (Treib arrangements of different kinds, such as regulatory et al., 2007; Newell et al., 2008) affect technological standards, market manipulations by the state, and innovation systems. public-private partnerships influence in different ways the functionality of the TIS. We further assume The TIS approach has been outlined as a means to that the influence of governance arrangements on understand how technological innovations emerge. the TIS will vary due to external factors, such as Traditionally an innovation systems approach the relation to established technologies, the general focuses on the structural dimension of innovation, political