Contesting Electrification: Narrative Strategies of Transport System Incumbents

Electrification of transport is increasingly positioned as a key component of sustainability transi-tions. However, it challenges deeply entrenched interests within the transport system. This paper asks: How do incumbents of this system react to electrification? And how are these reactions shaped by broader sociotechnical landscapes, including cultural, political, and economic factors? To answer these questions, the study explores legitimacy struggles surrounding Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), focusing on how actors seek to defend or contest their position within a chang-ing mobility regime. Empirically, the paper examines two regulatory consultation processes on light-duty vehicle emissions – one in Canada and one in the European Union. These consultations offer a rare win-dow into how incumbents such as car manufacturers and broader stakeholders articulate their positions in the face of policy-driven electrification efforts. Using narrative analysis and soci-otechnical transition perspectives, the study identifies and assesses contested storylines and pathways articulated in the face of growing pressure for electrification. As high-income, democratic countries with advanced automotive industries that both feature a legislated commitment to net-zero emissions by mid-century, Canada and the EU are most simi-lar cases. Nonetheless, they differ in key variables: Canada is characterized by a diversified but resource-intensive economy and decentralized governance, while the EU features long-standing regulatory integration and high climate policy ambition. This allows analysis of how similar in-cumbents adapt narratives and pathway suggestions to distinct contexts. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of resistance to change in sustainability transitions and help identify potential levers for accelerating policy and industry transformation. We would like to present our paper in panel 6, chaired by Nora Habelitz and Sonja Blum.