With the heating of the world, why are more SUV sold?

More and more sports vehicles (SUVs) are noticed around the world – and roads are excluded.

This is despite the projections of the United Nations inevitable turning to smaller and more environmentally friendly vehicles because of the urgency of the climatic crisis and the growth of the cost of life.

This turn did not come true: on a global scale, 54% of cars sold in 2024 were SUVs, including gasoline, diesel, hybrids and electrical products. This increase by three percentage points compared to 2023 and five percentage points compared to a year earlier, according to Globaldata.

From the SUVs, which are now on the road – both new and old models – 95% burn fossil fuels, according to the International Energy Agency (IA).

Manufacturers, however, say that their new fleets of such cars are increasingly becoming electric, and these are not all SUVs that are now sold, cause emissions.

SUVs are hard to miss. They are heavy and larger with spacious interiors, a higher gap and a high position with a better view on the road, although smaller versions are also on the market.

Environmental companies such as Greenpeace consider SUV as one of the villains of the climatic crisis and claim that their production consumes significant resources, given their size.

Experts also say that they require large batteries to power electrical versions, which then increases the demand for critical minerals, exerting even greater pressure on the planet.

It is believed that the impetus has smaller energy electric cars. But the sale of standard size electric vehicles (EVS) actually declined in major markets such as Japan and Germany, and their sales growth has slowed down in India.

And in Europe, SUV sales have exceeded the EV decrease, despite the signs of the opposite tendency more than a decade ago. In Europe 2018 Globaldata.

The Sammy Chan sales manager said: “This is partly due to the fact that the alternatives are offered by smaller ones (sizes), whose sales have increased to 2.5 million in 2024 from 1.5 million in 2018.”

According to Globaldata, nearly 11.6 million SUVs in China in China in 2024.

Galina experts say people’s purchasing power is improving in many fast economies, making SUVs more likely to choose a car.

“Manufacturers respond to consumer demand and, increasingly, drivers are attracted to two goals, given their practicality, comfort and good road,” said Mike Haws, which is the CEO of the Producers and Merchant Company (SMMT).

Automobile analysts also say that manufacturers attract high income from SUV: they can earn more money for SUVs, although they make fewer cars.

“It was in recent years that the industry has caused demand through huge marketing and advertising campaigns,” said Dudley Kurtis, a European Communications Manager.

“SUV offers the area an easy way to charge a more vehicle that does the same (like others),” he said.

Due to the reliable rise in sales of SUVs, the IEA states that oil consumption of these vehicles increased by 600,000 barrels per day world between 2022 and 2023.

“If you enter the rating among the countries, the world fleet will become the fifth largest CO2 emission in the world, exceeding the emissions of Japan and various other major economies,” said the Apostolic Petroleum, Energy Fashion designer.

The agency says that even compared to medium -sized cars operating on gasoline and diesel, SUVs burn 20% more of such fuels, as they weigh up to 300 kg on average.

In fact, transport transport is responsible for more than 12% of the carbon global emissions, which is the main engine of global warming. Scientists say all sectors should quickly decarbonize if we should avoid a climate disaster.

But industry representatives say that not all SUVs are now sold, cause emissions.

“About two of the five of these (new) vehicles are zero emissions, as their body type is well -used electrification with a longer battery range that can assure consumers, concerned about charges,” Houses with SMMT said.

“This has led to medium emissions of CO2 new vehicles with double destinations more than twice since 2000, helping the segment to conduct decarbonization in the UK.”

Although the vast majority of new SUVs are still burning fossil fuels, IEA officials said that more than 20% of SUV sold in 2023 were completely electric, which compared to 2% in 2018.

As for hybrids that can work both on electricity and fossil fuels, this study in Europe in the International Council for Clean Transport in 2022 revealed only about 30% of the total distance caused by hybrid electric vehicles (all types, including SUV).

Similar results were found in other major economies such as the US and China.

Overall, some experts standing for SUV caused a significant failure in the Decarbanization of the Transport Sector.

“The tendency for heavier and less effective vehicles, such as SUVs (in countries where this happens), greatly annulled the improvement of energy and emissions reached elsewhere in the world fleet,” said Meia.

The UK climate change committee in the UK had a similar conclusion in the 2024 report on the country.