Niche experiments with alternative powertrain technologies: the case of electric city-buses in Europe

Abstract

Using sociotechnical transitions literature, this paper analyses the early market introduction of electric city-buses in Europe. It identifies the role of bus manufacturers and their corresponding choices of alternative powertrain and charging technologies. Study results contrast the traditional dichotomy of incumbents versus niche actors and questions perceived role of incumbents as a homogenous group of actors. The paper proposes an alternative to the typical perception of industry incumbents as the guardians of the current sociotechnical regime, suggesting that a strong position in the established regime may actually facilitate introduction of radical technological solutions. The paper invites transition scholars to make more detailed analyses of actors' constellations and it further suggests that policy makers need to pay attention to the diversity of individual actors' strategies.

Demand, Services and Social Aspects of Mitigation

“…Demand-side transitions involve interactions between radical social or technical innovations (such as the Avoid-Shift-Improve options discussed in Section 5.3) and existing socio-technical systems, energy cultures, and social practices (high evidence, high agreement) (Stephenson et al 2015;Geels et al 2017). Radical innovations such as teleworking, plant-based burgers, car sharing, vegetarianism, or electric vehicles initially emerge in small, peripheral niches (Kemp et al 1998;Schot and Geels 2008), constituted by R&D projects, technological demonstration projects (Borghei and Magnusson 2016;Rosenbloom et al 2018b), local community initiatives or grassroots projects by environmental activists (Hargreaves et al 2013a;Hossain 2016). Such niches offer protection from mainstream selection pressures and nurture the development of radical innovations (Smith and Raven 2012).…”

“…Radical social, technical and business model innovations are initially characterised by many uncertainties about technical performance, consumer interest, institutions and cultural meanings. Learning processes are therefore essential and can be stimulated through R&D, demonstration projects, local community initiatives or grassroots projects (Borghei and Magnusson 2016;Hossain 2016;Rosenbloom et al 2018b;van Mierlo and Beers 2020). Typical challenges are fragmentation and high rates of project failure (den Hartog et al 2018;Dana et al 2021), limited funding (Auerswald and Branscomb 2003), limited consumer interest, and socio-cultural acceptance problems due to being perceived as strange or unfamiliar (Lounsbury and Glynn 2001).…”

Obduracy and Change in Urban Transport—Understanding Competition Between Sustainable Fuels in Swedish Municipalities

“…Urban buses are specifically identified as a prioritized space for electrification, as these vehicles have predictable routes allowing smaller batteries and planned charging infrastructure. Furthermore, electric buses are also identified as a solution to air quality concerns in city centers where bus traffic is heaviest [3][4][5]. In conjunction with these policy aims, the number of projects testing electrified public transport bus lines in Swedish cities has grown rapidly, adding to a longer historical trend of electricity use in public transport through trams, trolley buses, and commuter trains.…”