The growth in population, economic expansion, and urban dynamism has collectively driven a surge in the use of public and private transport, resulting in increased energy consumption in this sector. Consequently, the transport sector requires an energy transition to meet mobility demands, foster economic growth, and achieve emission reduction. The main objective of this article is to systematically review the literature on energy transition in transportation, categorizing research, identifying barriers, and providing analysis to guide future steps, with a special focus on developing countries. The methodology used in this study follows a sequence for a systematic review based on an evidence-informed approach and specific guidelines for systematic reviews, exploring the concepts, methodologies, and policies within the context of the energy transition, considering transport modes and geographical scope. The findings indicate that electricity is the predominant energy source in this transition, although its prevalence varies by transport mode. Biofuels present an alternative, primarily contributing to emission reduction associated with fossil fuel use. Natural gas emerges as a cost-effective option for heavy transport, while hydrogen represents another alternative, with the challenge of developing recharging infrastructure. Determinants of this transition include recharging infrastructure, tax and nontax incentives, public policies, the generation of electric power from renewable sources, and the management of battery life cycles from mineral extraction to disposal.

Different industrial sectors are assuming measures to mitigate their greenhouse gas emissions, facing the imminent materialization of climate change effects. In the transport sector, one of the measures involves the change in energy source of vehicles, leading to a transition from vehicles powered by fossil fuels (conventional) to electric. Nevertheless, electric vehicles have different drivers that promote their purchases. This work only considers the informed buyers’ interest in making their decisions using environmental criteria. However, these technologies have a series of impacts, including the generation of hazardous waste such as used batteries, which leads consumers to question the environmental impacts generated by conventional and electric vehicles; consequently, it is uncertain which prospective scenarios will dominate in various nations and what will promote them. Therefore, the proposed model is studied as a dynamical system, with bifurcations of codimension 2, which means that it is possible to represent all possible prospective scenarios of this configuration through a bifurcation diagram. In this way, the analysis allows us to find that four families of technological transitions (trajectories that qualitatively can be identified as being of the same behavior class) emerge from the relationships established in the system, showing similarities to the different transition situations recognized on the planet. This model is an attractive tool to classify automobiles’ technological transitions, despite having no other criteria. In fact, although decarbonization is an urgent quest in the transport sector, there are still too many challenges to guarantee environmentally friendly technologies.

The transport sector is under scrutiny because of its significant greenhouse gas emissions. Essential strategies, particularly the adoption of zero- and low-emission vehicles powered by electricity, are crucial for mitigating emissions in road transport. Pickups, which are integral to Mexico’s fleet, contribute to such emissions. Thus, implementing effective policies targeting pickups is vital for reducing air pollution and aligning with Mexico’s decarbonization objectives. This paper presents a simulation model based on system dynamics to represent the adoption process of zero- and low-emission vehicles, with a focus on pickups and utilizing data from the Mexican case. Three policy evaluation scenarios are proposed based on the simulation model: business as usual; disincentives for zero- and low-emission vehicles; and incentives for unconventional vehicles. One of the most significant findings from this study is that even in a scenario with a greater number of vehicles in circulation, if the technology is fully electric, the environmental impact in terms of emissions is lower. Additionally, a comprehensive sensitivity analysis spanning a wide spectrum is undertaken through an extensive computational process, yielding multiple policy scenarios. The analysis indicates that to achieve a maximal reduction in the country’s emissions, promoting solely hybrid electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles is advisable, whereas internal combustion engines, vehicular natural gas, and battery electric vehicles should be discouraged.

The growth in population, economic expansion, and the dynamism of cities have collectively driven a noticeable surge in the use of public and private transport, resulting in a significant increase in energy consumption within this sector. Consequently, the transport industry now requires an energy transition to meet mobility demands, promote economic growth, and achieve emissions reduction. This article identifies key concepts, policies, and methodologies used in the literature to study the energy transition in the transport sector through a systematic literature review. Our review methodology consisted of two parts: data collection and subsequent analysis aimed at exploring the concepts, methodologies, and policies applied within the context of the energy transition, while considering the mode of transport and geographical scope. The primary findings reveal that electricity is the predominant energy source in this transition, although its prevalence may vary depending on the mode of transport. Biofuels offer a close alternative; however, they primarily contribute to emissions reduction related to fossil fuel use. Natural gas provides an affordable alternative in heavy transport, and hydrogen represents another option, albeit with the potential expense of developing recharging infrastructure. Determinants of this transition include recharging infrastructure, both tax and non-tax incentives, public policies, the generation of electric power using renewable energies, and the proper management of battery life cycles, from mineral extraction to final disposal.