Transport runs on oil

There are over a billion cars on the road, and most of them burn fossil fuels every time they move. Even in wealthy countries, electric vehicles are still a small fraction of new car sales, and it takes years for the whole fleet to turn over.

The barriers aren't just about the cars themselves — people worry about battery range, charging infrastructure, and upfront costs. Many can't afford new EVs, and used electric car markets are still tiny in most places.

Trucks move most of the stuff we buy, and they're some of the heaviest users of diesel fuel. A single long-haul truck can burn as much fuel as dozens of cars. The challenge is that freight vehicles need to carry heavy loads over long distances, often with tight delivery schedules.

Electrifying trucks is harder than cars because batteries are heavy and expensive, and truck drivers can't afford long charging stops. Different solutions work for different types of freight — city delivery vans have different needs than trucks crossing continents.

Flying is one of the most carbon-intensive things an individual can do, and aviation emissions are growing fast as more people travel. A single long-haul flight can produce more emissions than many people generate in an entire year from other activities.

The problem is that planes need fuel that's lightweight and energy-dense, and they operate in an environment where safety and reliability are absolutely critical. Battery-powered planes might work for short flights, but crossing oceans will likely require new types of fuel that don't exist at scale yet.

Almost everything you buy has been on a ship at some point. Ocean shipping moves over 80% of global trade by volume, and these massive vessels burn some of the dirtiest fuel on the planet — thick, tar-like heavy fuel oil that's basically petroleum industry waste.

Ships are incredibly efficient per ton of cargo moved, but they're so huge and numerous that shipping still produces about 3% of global emissions. The industry is conservative and cost-focused, and ships last for decades, so changes happen slowly.

Most cities, especially in wealthy countries, are designed assuming everyone has a car. This makes walking, cycling, and public transit inconvenient or impossible for many trips. Even people who want to drive less often can't because alternatives don't exist or don't work well.

The result is that transport in cities is inefficient and polluting. People make short trips by car that could easily be walked or cycled, and public transit is often slow, unreliable, or doesn't go where people need to go. Fixing this requires both better technology and rethinking how cities work.