Abstract:

Electric vehicles have gained international attention in the last several years, as the number of models available has increased and many vehicle companies have placed electric vehicles at the center of the plans for development. In the Swedish context, these vehicles are often considered as a key sustainable technology because of their efficient engines and the non-fossil sourcing of the Swedish electricity supply. The need for a transition to a renewable fuel-based transportation sector has become apparent as concern about the consequences of human-caused climate change has grown. The purpose of this study is to explore the interaction between visions of the future and policy through the analysis of one Swedish policy document, a 2013 government investigation Fossil Fuel Freedom on the Road, and its subsequent policy process. Here, the author examined the emergence of a socio technical imaginary (Jasanoff & Kim, 2009) that places electric vehicles at the center of a fossil fuel independent future. The analysis shows how Jasanoff’s four phases of imaginary development can be applied to improve our understanding of imaginary formation, with a focus on the role of actor enrollment in this process. Analysis centers on textual analysis of this document as well as responses from a formal consultation process and two concrete policy measures showing how this imaginary is stabilized through interaction with additional actors and translation to additional contexts. This electric vehicle imaginary as presented in the policy report focuses on the role of electric vehicles in fighting climate change, as well as the increased energy efficiency and positive impact on city environments these vehicles promise. Additionally, this investigation identifies a specific policy agenda where electric vehicles are introduced first for personal vehicles and urban buses. This imaginary is stabilized in the consultation responses and two policy instruments, showing a process of embedding. Frictions, however, remain as these documents introduce contestations around biofuels versus electric vehicles and which sections of transport should be electrified. The analysis of this case is unique to Sweden, where electric vehicles can more easily be defined as sustainable thanks to the low carbon electricity supply.