Willing to Downsize? Understanding Consumer Demand for SUVs in Metro Vancouver

Published by: David Suzuki Foundation and partners
Authored by: Jonn Axsen, Zoe Long, Michael Wolinetz
Partners: Sustainable Transportation Action Research Team, Simon Fraser University School of Resource and Environmental Management, Navius Research
ISBN: 978-1-988424-79-8

Climate solutions, Cities sustainable transportation, climate change, fossil fuels

In Canada and globally, the growing share of sport utility vehicles in the passenger market is challenging sustainability goals, especially efforts to decarbonize the transportation system. Alarmingly, light-duty trucks made up 80 per cent of new vehicle sales in Canada in 2020 and 2021, compared to 54 per cent in 2010. Larger and heavier vehicles require more energy per kilometre, emit more greenhouse gases and present increased safety risks compared to smaller vehicles. In this report, we explore what motivates consumer interest in SUVs, and what conditions might lead consumers to shift toward smaller vehicles.