Institutional Stimulants for Low-Carbon Transport: The Case of the Fleet Electrification in the Polish Logistics Industry

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to recognize the role of external institutions in supporting the Transport, Shipping, and Logistics (TSL) sector in the transformation towards sustainable and low-emission operations in Poland. In the context of the EU’s decarbonization agenda and accelerating climate challenges, the study explores how regulatory, financial, and normative mechanisms affect the electrification of transport fleets. A mixed-methods approach was applied, combining qualitative content analysis of European and national policy frameworks with a quantitative CATI survey among logistics enterprises. The results reveal that legal and normative instruments remain the dominant institutional drivers of fleet electrification, while fiscal incentives—subsidies and tax reliefs—play a supportive but still secondary role. Sectoral and financial pressures from banks and market stakeholders are emerging as new, complementary forces of change. Firm size, ownership structure, and market scope significantly moderate these perceptions. The paper contributes to institutional and innovation-diffusion theory and offers policy insights for designing coherent and multi-level frameworks.