The Impacts of Popularization of Electric Vehicles on Urban Air Pollution: Evidence from China

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom

^* Corresponding author: yanlin.chen21@imperial.ac.uk

Abstract

This research explores the impact of popularizing electric vehicles (EVs) on China's urban air pollution or contagion. With the rapid growth of the transportation industry and the increasing concern about air pollution, the Chinese administration has been promoting the use of EVs to mitigate the adverse effects of traditional gasoline-powered vehicles on the environment. Using empirical data collected from various cities in China, this study exploits a difference-in-differences approach to analyze the causal connection between the EV implementation and urban air quality. According to the findings, the increase in EV usage significantly and positively impacts reducing the concentration of air emissions such as PM2.5 and SO2. Moreover, the study also finds that the magnitude of the effect varies across different types of cities with varying levels of economic development and air pollution. This research provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of promoting EVs in reducing urban air pollution in China. It has important implications for policymakers and stakeholders in other countries.