University of Sussex
Browse
From flying cars to Tesla Manuscript - Rev1.pdf (495.89 kB)

From flying rockets to Tesla: examining the sustainable mobility preferences of primary school children in Denmark and the Netherlands

Download (495.89 kB)
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-09, 18:00 authored by Johannes Kester, Benjamin SovacoolBenjamin Sovacool, Vimke Heida
The relationship between children and cars is not directly obvious, but they are a core group of passengers moving daily from and to school and they are future potential buyers. Moreover, many of the values, worldviews, and patterns of energy (and mobility) consumption enshrined in adults become formed and perhaps cemented in childhood. Lastly, children are not directly concerned with many of the choices and information that adults handle, so measuring what they know could proxy for popular knowledge in society. This paper offers a first international comparison between 587 surveyed schoolchildren between 9-13 years of age in Denmark and the Netherlands on EV knowledge and current and future car transport. Results indicate that national and regional context matter, as do gender, age, and to a certain extent the level experience with low-carbon innovations such as electric vehicles. In general, however, children rank the environmental impact of cars just below personal safety and we can conclude that they are aware of EVs and their main benefits. Simultaneously, they also know that EVs are costlier to purchase. Most important, the children overwhelmingly agree on the future direction of car-based transport with cars that are safer, more energy efficient and alternatively fueled.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Accepted version

Journal

Energy Research and Social Science

ISSN

2214-6296

Publisher

Elsevier

Issue

101204

Volume

56

Page range

1-11

Department affiliated with

  • SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2019-06-07

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2020-06-11

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2019-06-07

Usage metrics

    University of Sussex (Publications)

    Categories

    No categories selected

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC