A comparative study of activity toward ethanol oxidation was carried out for catalysts having the same loading of identical Pd nanoparticles supported on carbon-oxide hybrids containing antimony tin oxide (Sb2O5/SnO2 - ATO) in different amounts (20, 30 and 40 wt.%). Enhanced catalytic activity was observed for Pd nanoparticles supported on C-ATO hybrids. X-ray absorption spectroscopy experiments carried out around the Pd L-3 edge evidenced an increase in the electronic occupancy of the Pd 4d band indicating an electronic transfer from the hybrid supports to the Pd particles. A strong correlation between ethanol oxidation currents and X-ray absorption data reveals the importance of electronic effects in the electrocatalysis of ethanol oxidation on Pd. In addition, FTIR data show that C-ATO hybrid supports promote a decrease in the onset potential and an increase in carbonate/CO2 production. (C) 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.