With the world heating up, why are more SUVs being sold?

More and more sports utility vehicles (SUVs) around the world – and closed – are seen on the streets.

This is despite the prophecies from the United Nations of an indispensable axis towards small and more environmentally friendly vehicles due to the urgency of climate crisis and increasing cost of life.

The axis has not physicized: globally, 54% of cars sold in 2024 were SUVs, including petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric. This is an increase of three percent marks from 2023 and according to it, it is five percent marks before the year. Globaldata,

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the SUVs that are now on the road – both new and old models – 95% fossil fuels are burning.

However, manufacturers say that their new fleet of such cars are rapidly becoming electricity, and that all SUVs are now being sold, causing an increase in emissions.

It is difficult to miss the SUV. They are heavy and larger with a high driving position with heavy interiors, high ground withdrawal and better views of the road, although small versions are also in the market.

Environmental campaigners such as greenpiece sees the SUV as one of the climate crisis villains and argue that their manufacturing consumes significant resources given their size.

Experts also say that they require large batteries to provide electricity to their electric versions, which then increase the demand for important minerals, which puts even more pressure on the planet.

Momentum was considered with small, energy-efficient electric vehicles. But the sales of standard size electric vehicles (EVS) have actually decreased in major markets such as Japan and Germany, and their sales have slowed down in India.

And in Europe, SUV sales have left EVS despite the signs more than half a decade before an adverse trend. In 2018, in Europe, 3.27 million small hatchbacks – both were sold by fossil fuels and sold both by electricity, while in 2024, 2.13 million were sold, according to it, according to it, Globaldata,

Its sales forecast manager Sammy Chan said: “It is being partially introduced in small (size) due to SUV options, which in Europe has now increased from 1.5 million in 2018 to about 2.5 million in 2024.”

According to Globaladata, China witnessed the largest sales of about 11.6 million SUVs in 2024.

Industry experts say that the purchasing power of the people is improving many rapid emerging economies, which prefer the possibility of SUV car.

Mike Hayes said, “Manufacturers respond to consumer demand and rapidly, drivers are attracted to double purpose vehicles, which look at their practicality, comfort and good approach about the road.”

Automobile industry analysts also say that manufacturers are attracted to high -profit margin from SUVs: they can earn more money from SUVs, even if they make less vehicles.

Dadle Curtis, Communications Manager of the European Transport Safety Council, said, “This is an industry that has increased demand through heavy marketing and advertising campaigns in recent years.”

“SUVS introduced the industry a simple way to charge more for a vehicle that does the same thing (as other),” he said.

Due to a strong growth in sales of SUVS, IEA says that the consumption of these vehicles increased by 600,000 barrels globally between 2022 and 2023, accounting for more than a quarter of total annual growth in global oil demand.

“If ranked between countries, the global fleet of the SUV will be the fifth largest emitter of CO2, exceeding the emission of Japan and various other major economies,” said an energy modeler apostolas petropolus with IEA.

The agency says that when compared to medium -sized cars running on petrol and diesel, the SUV burns 20% more of such fuel, as they weigh up to 300 kg on average.

In fact, road transport is responsible for more than 12% of global carbon emissions which is the main driver of global warming. Scientists say that if we should decarbonize all areas rapidly to avoid climate destruction.

But the representatives of the industry say that not all SUVs are now being sold, there is no cause for increase in emissions.

Hayes from SMMT said, “Five of these five (new) vehicle models are zero emissions as their body type lends itself well for electrification with a long battery range that can worry consumers about charging accessibility.”

“It has caused more damage to the average CO2 emissions of new double objective cars since 2000, which has helped the segment to lead the UK Road Mobility Decurbonization.”

Although the vast majority of the new SUV still burn fossil fuels, IEA officials have stated that the SUVs sold in 2023 were fully electric, above 2% in 2018.

For hybrids running on both electricity and fossil fuels, a study in Europe by the International Council of International Council in 2022 found that only 30% of the total distance operated by plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (including SUVs) was in electric mode.

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

Overall, the back-gyre towards the SUV, some experts say that there is a significant setback in the decorbonation of the transport sector.

The IEA said, “The trend towards heavy and less efficient vehicles such as the SUV (where it is happening) has reduced the improvement in energy consumption to a great extent and has received emissions obtained elsewhere in the world’s passenger car fleet.”

The Climate Change Committee of the UK Parliament made a similar discovery in its 2024 report in the country.