Everything Energy

What’s next for the global car industry?

Everything Energy

Show Notes

The car industry is a key part of many economies – and with passenger cars representing the single largest source of global oil demand today, changes in the worldwide auto sector have important implications for the energy sector. The global car industry is undergoing significant shifts, as the geography of car production evolves, new regions drive sales growth, and electric cars expand consumer choices.

In this episode, IEA Energy Technology Analysts Elizabeth Connelly and Leonardo Paoli – the lead authors of a recent report on the car industry – unpack the structural trends. They examine the underlying drivers, assess the potential implications for the energy sector and beyond, and discuss how competitiveness can be sustained in this market context.

More from Everything Energy

Oct 16, 2026

Since the start of the Iran war in February, energy exports from Middle East countries through the Strait of Hormuz and via other routes have become the focus of intense global attention, with significant implications for the world economy and especially for Middle East countries themselves.

Oct 1, 2026

Since the mid-20th century, scientists and engineers around the world have been working to harness the potential of fusion energy. Driven by the knowledge that success could revolutionise the energy system, they have pursued fusion’s tantalising potential to provide abundant around-the-clock electricity with minimal fuel inputs, no direct emissions and very little radioactive waste.

Sep 17, 2026

Around the world, the price of diesel is at or near all-time highs, with major implications for shipping, agriculture and the broader economy. In this episode, we speak with IEA experts David Martin and Talya Vatman who explain why diesel prices have risen more sharply than those of gasoline and crude oil – taking stock of the impacts from the war in the Middle East, Ukraine’s attacks on Russian refineries, and limited capacity across the refining sector globally. They also discuss how the situation could evolve in the coming months.

Sep 3, 2026

Invented at the turn of the 20th century to control humidity at a New York printing plant, the air conditioner has reshaped the economies and societies that have had access to it. Today, more than 1.5 billion AC units are in use around the world – and as incomes and temperatures rise, demand continues to grow rapidly.

Aug 20, 2026

Technological advances in drilling have had a profound impact on our economies and societies, delivering access to vast energy resources underground. The first commercial oil well in 1859 paved the way for the modern oil industry, and more recent breakthroughs have repeatedly reshaped global energy dynamics.

See all episodes →