Research Pathways for Automotive Exhaust Catalysts during the Transition to Electric Mobility

The global automotive market has long been dominated by internal combustion vehicles (ICVs), which have provided essential mobility but also emitted air pollutants that harm human health and environment. Exhaust treatment catalysts have played a central role in mitigating these emissions, allowing ICVs to remain viable for decades. However, despite advances in catalyst technology, the continued reliance on fossil-fuel vehicles has driven steady increases in atmospheric CO₂, contributing to climate change and intensifying global environmental risks. In recent years, the rapid rise of electric vehicles (EVs), which eliminate tailpipe emissions, has prompted renewed discussion about the future relevance of automotive catalysts. This transition raises key questions: How quickly can EVs replace ICVs? What environmental challenges will persist during this shift? What role will catalytic technologies play in the evolving transportation landscape? In this contribution, we examine the environmental motivations behind EV adoption and assess their benefits and limitations using recent market and emissions data. We highlight constraints, including adoption barriers, hybrid vehicle cold-start emissions, and the difficulty of electrifying heavy-duty transport, that ensure catalysts will remain essential. Finally, we outline pathways for catalyst researchers to redefine their focus and remain impactful in the coming decades.