Mon, 17 Mar 2025

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 Small electric cars were said to be the future – but SUVs now rule the road

Despite dire predictions of climate breakdown, more Sports Utility Vehicles are being spotted on, and off, the roads.

* 54% of cars sold globally in 2024 were SUVs, including petrol, diesel, hybrids, and electric makes.
* This represents an increase of three percentage points from 2023 and five percentage points from the year before.
* 95% of SUVs on the road are burning fossil fuels.
* Despite manufacturers claiming that new SUVs are increasingly becoming electric, global oil consumption by these vehicles has increased by 600,000 barrels per day between 2022 and 2023.
* The global fleet of SUVs would be the world's fifth largest emitter of CO2 if ranked among countries.
* SUVs burn 20% more fuel than medium-sized cars due to their larger size and weight.
* Road transport is responsible for over 12% of global carbon emissions, which is a major driver of global warming.
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