Transportation and Communication

Bicycle Production Reaches 130 Million Units

Product Number: 
VST122

Notes: 
1. Global production numbers from United Nations,
The Growth of World Industry, 1969 Edition, vol. II
(New York: 1971), from United Nations, Yearbook of
Industrial Statistics, 1979 and 1989 editions, vol. II
(New York: 1981 and 1991), from Interbike
Directory, various years, from United Nations, Industrial
Commodity Statistics Yearbook (New York: various
years), from Bicycle Retailer and Industry News,
world market summary data, various years, and
from Otto Beaujon, managing editor, Bike Europe
Magazine, e-mail to author, 10 March 2006.
2. “World Players in the Bicycle Market,” in John Crenshaw,
“China’s Two-Wheeled Juggernaut Keeps
Rolling Along,” Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, 1
April 2006, p. 40.
3.Worldwatch calculation based on data cited in note
1.
4. “World Players in the Bicycle Market,” op. cit. note
2.
5. “144 Percent: Mexico Doesn’t Mess Around,” Bicycle
Retailer and Industry News, 1 November 2005, p. 47.
6. John Crenshaw, “EU Passes Anti-Dumping Duties
on China, Vietnam,” Bicycle Retailer and Industry
News, 15 August 2005, p. 28.
7. Crenshaw, op. cit. note 2, p. 40.
8. “Indians Face News: Some Not So Good,” Bicycle
Retailer and Industry News, 15 March 2006, p. 28.
9. Crenshaw, op. cit. note 2, p. 40.
10. Doug McClellan, “E-Bike Makers Scramble for a
Share of Swelling Market,” Bicycle Retailer and Industry
News, 1 April 2006, p. 49.
11. Doug McClellan, “New Standards May Boost E-Bike
Market in Europe,” Bicycle Retailer and Industry
News, 1 November 2006, p. 32.
12. “Taiwan Builds Bike Paths, Promotes Cycling,” Bicycle
Retailer and Industry News, 15 July 2006, p. 27.
13. “Brits Take to Bikes, Infrastructure a Big Help,” Bicycle
Retailer and Industry News, 1 July 2006, p. 30.
14. “Aussie State Commits Big Bucks to Cycling,” Bicycle
Retailer and Industry News, 1 June 2006, p. 35.
15. “French Create National Cycling Czar Position,”
Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, 15 May 2006, p.
27.
16. Rachel Gordon, “Cycling Supporters on a Roll in
S.F.,” San Francisco Chronicle, 21 August 2006.
17. John Pucher and Ralph Buehler, “Why Canadians
Cycle More than Americans: A Comparative Analysis
of Bicycling Trends and Policies,” Journal of
Transport Policy, vol. 13 (2006), pp. 269–75.
18. Ibid.
19. Ibid.
20. Megan Tompkins, “Transportation Bill Delivers Estimated
$4.5 Billion for Bicycling,” Bicycle Retailer and
Industry News, 1 April 2006, p. 38.
21. Ibid.
22. Robert Preer, “Start-up Offers Bike Rentals for $20,
Targets College Students,” Bicycle Retailer and Indus-
142 Vital Signs 2007–2008 www.worldwatch.org
Notes
try News, 1 May 2006, p. 27.
23. Ibid.
Included Trends: 
World Bicycle Production, 1950-2007; Chinese Share of World Bicycle production, 1990-2007

Vehicle Production Rises, But Few Cars Are "Green"

Product Number: 
VST111

According to Global Insight, global passenger car production in 2007 rose to 52.1 million units from 49.1 million the previous year.1 In addition, production of "lig

Notes: 
  1. Colin Couchman, Global Insight Automotive Group, London, e-mail to author, 20 May 2008.
  2. Ibid.
  3. Ibid.
  4. PricewaterhouseCoopers, "Autofacts Global Auto­mo­tive Outlook, 2008 Q2 Release," www.autofacts.com/data.asp, viewed 11 May 2008.
  5. Couchman, op. cit. note 1.
  6. Ibid.
  7. Ibid.
  8. Ibid.
  9. Ibid.
  10. Figures for 2008 and 2000 from ibid.; 1950 from Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association, World Motor Vehicle Data 2005 (Detroit, 2005).
  11. "Competition for China's Auto Market is Heating up," China Daily, 22 April 2008.
  12. "Tata 'NANO'-the People's Car from Tata Motors," at www.tatapeoplescar.com/tatamotors; Michael Renner, "Nano Hypocrisy?" e2-Eye on Earth, World­watch Institute, 16 January 2008.
  13. T. Barker et al., "Technical Summary," in Intergov­ernmental Panel on Climate Change, Cli­mate Change 2007: Mitigation. Contribution of Working Group III to the Fourth Assessment Report (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2007), pp. 48-49.
  14. Ibid.
  15. Therese Langer and Daniel Williams, Greener Fleets: Fuel Economy Progress and Prospects (Washington, DC: American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, December 2002).
  16. Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, 2006 Report on Environmental Protection (Tokyo: October 2006).
  17. Ibid.; "Emission Norms," Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, at www.siamindia.com/scripts/emission-standards.aspx, viewed 28 November 2007.
  18. PricewaterhouseCoopers, op. cit. note 4.
  19. Ibid.
  20. Toyota Hybrid Synergy View, "One Millionth Hybrid Vehicle Hits the American Road," at www.toyota.com/dyncon/2008/may/road.html?siteid=news_may08h_1.
  21. Ibid.
  22. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Light-Duty Automotive Technology and Fuel Economy Trends: 1975 through 2007 (Washington, DC: September 2007), p. ii.
  23. Alan Baum, "Market Penetration of Hybrid and Die­sel Vehicles in the U.S. Market, 2004-2015," presentation to the Fuel Economy Technology Trends and Policy Options Forum, Washington, DC, 1 October 2007.
  24. Calculated from Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, "Low-Emission Vehicle Shipments 2006," 5 October 2007, at www.jama-english.jp/statistics/low_emission/2006/071005.html.
  25. European Automobile Manufacturers' Association, "Diesel is Doing a Lot to Reduce CO2 Emissions in Europe," at www.acea.be/index.php/news/news_detail/diesel_is_doing_a_lot_to_reduce_CO2_emissions_in_europe, viewed 22 November 2007.
  26. Michael P. Walsh, Car Lines, February 2008, p. 49.
  27. Corinna Kester, "Diesels versus Hybrids: Comparing the Environmental Costs," World Watch, July/August 2005, p. 21; "ACEEE Releases 'Meanest' and 'Greenest' Vehicle Scorecard," Clean Edge News, 26 February 2008.
  28. International Council on Clean Transportation, Passenger Vehicle Greenhouse Gas and Fuel Economy Standards: A Global Update (Washington, DC: 2007), pp. 8-9.
  29. Ibid.
  30. European Commission, "Objectives of the Agree­ments Concluded with the Automobile Industry," at ec.europa.eu/environment/CO2/CO2_agreements.htm, updated 19 January 2007.
  31. Ibid.
  32. Percentages calculated from Commission of the European Communities, "Commission Staff Working Document: Accompanying Document to the Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament, Implementing the Community Strategy to Reduce CO2 Emissions from Cars: Sixth Annual Communication on the Effectiveness of the Strategy," Brussels, 24 August 2006, p. 22.
  33. Ibid., pp. 42, 66.
  34. European Environment Agency, Climate for a Transport Change, EEA Report No. 1/2008 (Copenhagen: March 2008), p. 23.
  35. EPA, op. cit. note 22, p. v.
  36. Calculated from ibid., Appendix C: Fuel Economy Distribution Data.
  37. Ibid.
  38. Ibid.
  39. Toyota Motor North America, 2007 North America Environmental Report (Washington, DC: 2007), p. 15.
  40. Author's calculation, based on Commission of the European Communities, op. cit. note 32, on International Organization of Motor Vehicles Manufacturers, at oica.net/category/economic-contributions/auto-jobs, on European Automobile Manufacturers' Association, "Europe Has More Than 250 Automobile Production Sites," at www.acea.be/index.php/news/news_detail/europe_has_more_than_250_automobile_production_sites, viewed 22 November 2007, and on Stacy C. Davis and Susan W. Diegel, Transportation Energy Data Book: Edition 26 (Oak Ridge, TN: Center for Transportation Analysis, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 2007), Table 10.15. These numbers represent rough estimates only. Due to a lack of detailed data, they do not distinguish between domestic production and imports, which may distort the results.
  41. Boom and recent slump in demand from "Thailand's Eco-Drive," The Economist, 21 June 2007; Thai vehicle production and employment from International Organization of Motor Vehicles Manufacturers, op. cit. note 40.
  42. "Thailand's Eco-Drive," op. cit. note 41.
  43. Ibid.
  44. International Organization of Motor Vehicles Manufacturers, at oica.net/category/production-statistics and at oica.net/category/economic-contributions/auto-jobs, viewed 8 December 2007.
  45. "Thailand Making Incentives for Eco-Cars," Associated Press, 7 December 2007.
  46. Employment figures from International Organization of Motor Vehicles Manufacturers, op. cit. note 40.
  47. Chery fuel economy from "Thailand's Eco-Drive," op. cit. note 41.
Included Trends: 
World Light Vehicle Production, 1950-2007; Light Vehicle Production, Leading Countries, 1995-2007; U.S. Light Vehicle Sales, by Fuel Economy Segment, 1975-2007
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