When Streets Grew Wider And Louder
When Anjali picked up her daughter from school last autumn, she noticed something unsettling: wider streets, more trucks, and—unmistakably—many glossier, larger SUVs lumbering past.
The roar of their engines seemed louder, their bulk more dominant. And when she drove home later, she glanced at her fuel gauge, remembering that her small hatchback used far less petrol—and wondered: is the world paying too high a price for the SUV boom?
If SUVs were a single country, they would rank as the sixth-largest carbon emitter. That is one of the more stark findings of a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), detailed in The Guardian.
But the story goes deeper. Below, we trace multiple angles—including what happens when we imagine a world with fewer huge vehicles, what statistics from 2023 tell us, and crucially, why the impact of larger SUVs isn’t just about tailpipes—it’s about size, weight, oil demand, and even battery supply.
The SUV Surge: Size, Numbers, Weight
From 2012 to 2022, SUV share among new cars rose sharply—from around 20 percent to nearly 46 percent in many regions.
Electric SUVs have made inroads, but mostly too slowly, and often with trade-offs. Electric versions need bigger batteries, which require more critical minerals.
SUVs are heavier and less aerodynamic than smaller cars. That translates to roughly 20 percent more fuel consumption per kilometre on average. This isn’t just about greenhouse gases: heavier SUVs use more oil, more rubber, and more materials throughout manufacturing.
Oil Demand And Emissions: A Tightly Bound Duo
SUVs aren’t just polluters in isolation. Their rising numbers have pushed up global oil demand. In 2022, about one-third of the growth in oil demand from cars came from SUVs. SUVs alone increased oil consumption by 500,000 barrels per day between 2021 and 2022.
Because of this, much of the gain from improved fuel efficiency and EV adoption has been offset by the sheer growth in SUV numbers. Even electric SUV growth has a carbon footprint due to battery production and electricity supply chain challenges.
What 2023 Reveals: New Peaks, New Worries
Latest data from the IEA in May 2024 shows the SUV trend didn’t slow. In 2023:
- Around 360 million SUVs were on roads globally.
- They produced about one billion tonnes of combustion-related CO₂, up by 100 million tonnes from 2022.
- SUV sales made up about 48 percent of all new car registrations worldwide.
Even though electric vehicle (EV) uptake is rising, most SUVs are still powered by internal combustion engines. The electrified ones help, but haven’t yet offset the emissions from the larger fleet of conventional SUVs.
The Critical Fourth Point: What Could Have Been
Reports show that motor emissions could have fallen much more if vehicle sizes and weights had stayed more modest. In particular:
- Between 2010 and 2022, emissions from light-duty vehicles fell globally, but not as much as they could have. One study estimates emissions could have dropped around 30 percent more if the SUV boom had not occurred.
- Larger SUVs and bigger electric batteries require more materials and more energy, adding upstream emissions.
- Policies that encouraged EV uptake often did not penalize vehicle size or weight, making the net effect weaker than it might be.
This fourth point is crucial: to meet climate goals, we need not just more EVs, but smaller, lighter, more efficient vehicles—and policy that rewards them.
Real People, Real Trade-Offs
In Berlin, Markus, a father of two, drives a mid-sized SUV for snow, gear, and family safety. He says, “I feel guilty that I can’t go back to the hatchback I loved—but with two car seats and boot space needs, it’s hard to compromise.”
Meanwhile, Jasmin, a city dweller, relies on cycling and public transport. She sees SUVs blocking spaces and dominating streets and says, “If we had smaller cars or shared mobility, the neighbourhood would breathe easier.”
These stories show the solution must be balanced: one size doesn’t fit all, but intentional choices can still shape a cleaner future.
The Shift We Need: Policy, Innovation, Mindset
From the evidence, several pathways emerge full of promise:
- Regulate by weight, size, or energy usage—not only tailpipe emissions.
- Enhance EV infrastructure and battery sourcing to lower hidden emissions.
- Promote alternatives: public transport, bike-friendly cities, car-sharing.
- Provide consumer transparency on life-cycle emissions.
- Strengthen international cooperation to align standards and avoid loopholes.
Conclusion: Drawing Hope From What We Could Have
We are standing at a crossroads. The rise of SUVs has undeniably cost us: more carbon, more oil demand, and delayed progress toward lower emissions. But the data shows what we could have done differently, and what can still be done.
If we reward smaller, cleaner, lighter vehicles; accelerate EV adoption with a focus on full life-cycle emissions; and work together across communities and governments, the trend can bend.
As Anjali’s headlights swept across the road that night, illuminating the massive grill of a passing SUV, she didn’t just see a vehicle.
She saw a choice: the old version of convenience, or a future where mobility and climate work together. We can still choose that future—one where children breathe easier, oil demand doesn’t push the planet past tipping points, and where “bigger” no longer means “worse.”
Sources:
IEA
Ap News
The Guardian
