Zero-emissions vehicle adoption and satellite-measured NO₂ air pollution in California, USA, from 2019 to 2023: a longitudinal observational study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Electrifying the transportation sector is a key climate-change mitigation strategy. Reductions in exhaust emissions have anticipated air quality co-benefits; yet, evidence is primarily based on projections. Using observed data in California, USA, we aimed to investigate whether reductions in exhaust emissions from the transition to zero-emissions vehicles (ZEVs: battery electric, plug-in hybrid, and hydrogen fuel cell) were detectable using Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) satellite measurements of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) air pollution.

Methods

In this longitudinal observational study, we combined data from 2019 to 2023 on annual light-duty ZEV registrations in 1692 California ZIP code tabulation areas (ZCTAs; cross-walked from ZIP codes) wit

SUBMITTER: Eckel SP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12928720 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature