Electrification is a crucial step in decarbonizing the transportation sector. As global momentum builds for electromobility, regional adoption of this new form of propulsion and implementation of supportive public policies remains highly varied, even within a single country. In part, this variation is a function of how powerful incumbent regional industries have engaged this potentially disruptive technology. This paper employs the multi-dimensional discursive approach to storyline formation, which considers how actors, context, and content shape storylines, and importantly, assesses the implications of these storylines for sustainability pathways. Using discourse analysis of regional sectoral trade publications from 2014 to 2020, this analysis identifies dominant electromobility storylines in three sectors in three Canadian provinces: Ontario’s auto sector, Québec’s electricity sector, and Alberta’s oil sector. It provides insights on how actors can engage incumbent industries to harness powerful pre-existing and regionally-specific narratives that can accelerate regional electromobility efforts.
The Clean Economy Working Paper Series disseminates findings of ongoing environmental and clean economy work conducted by researchers from a range of disciplines. These working papers are meant to make results of relevant scholarly work available in a preliminary form. Although these papers have not undergone a peer-review process, they meet general standards of scholarly excellence. The views expressed in these working papers are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Smart Prosperity Institute.
