Green Policies, Sustainability, and the Automobile Industry

This panel explores the intersection of green policies, sustainability, and the automobile industry, focusing on the experiences of global powerhouses such as China, the United States, and Europe in navigating the energy transition through a historical lens. By examining the role of industrial policy, corporate strategy, and regional innovation, the panel provides a comprehensive view of how different national contexts shape the global shift toward sustainability, emphasizing the importance of long-term government planning. China, now the world’s largest market, manufacturer, and exporter of electric vehicles (EVs), exemplifies how state intervention and long-term policies can propel national champions to global leadership in the evolving automobile industry. China’s shift from lagging in internal combustion technology to leading the global EV market demonstrates the crucial role of the government’s long-term strategic industrial planning and responsiveness of a growing private sector. In Europe, Sweden’s recent investments in low-carbon technologies, such as automotive batteries and low-carbon steel, have positioned the country as a hub for green industrial development. Ranking fifth globally in corporate investments in these sectors, Sweden underscores the importance of regional efforts in advancing sustainability. Drawing comparisons to Sweden’s industrial past, including the case of Volvo AB, the panel aims to analyze challenges related to integrating value chains in a dynamic market environment—a strategy that parallels China’s approach to enhancing national value in the EV supply chain. In Italy, the evolution of Fiat Group’s environmental policies offers insights into the development of corporate responsibility and sustainability from the late 1960s onward. Fiat’s gradual shift toward sustainability reflects changing corporate priorities in response to broader economic and environmental challenges in Europe. By analyzing these diverse historical contexts, key actors, and government policies, this panel contributes to the ongoing debate on the global transition toward a more sustainable and greener future, offering valuable insights for scholars, business practitioners and policymakers.