Electric vehicle adoption in small island economies: Review from a technology transition perspective

Abstract

Small Island States present features, such as compact road networks, low commuter distances, and often large tourism service sectors, that could make the adoption of electric vehicles for transportation which is an attractive way to reduce their costly dependence on imported fossil fuel and their greenhouse gas emissions. Through the transition theory lens, we review the national policy measures and broad clean transportation targets that small island countries are implementing to encourage electric mobility deployment. From information compiled for 18 small island countries, we find a growing trend in electric vehicle and infrastructure development incentives among broader clean transportation transformation policies and nationally determined contribution targets; and large country‐to‐country variations in enabling conditions to smoothen EV transition. Small island countries are not uniform but instead are very dispersed across the transition S‐curve. The review, therefore, finds that the mobility transition requires island‐specific approaches and solutions that will accentuate critical policy and management elements for fostering transitions.