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Electromobility road

FACT SHEET NO.: Cat-No.7 / Subcat-No.7.1-1


General Information

Title

FACT SHEET NO.: Cat-No.7 / Subcat-No.7.1-1

Category

7. Research and innovation

Subcategory

7.1 Technology: vehicles

Transport policy measure (TPM)

Electromobility road

Description of TPM

The TPM 'Electromobility - road' describes the fostering of electric road vehicles. This especially means the support of research and development leading to an increase of efficiency, safety and reliability of vehicles with electronic propulsion. An implementation of this measure is expected to increase the number of electric road vehicles, including passenger as well as freight vehicles.
In this context passenger road vehicles include motorized private as well as public transport vehicles (buses and coaches). In contrast, within the electrification of road freight vehicles this assessment focuses only on light-duty vehicles (LDV) used in city logistics, hence long-haul trucks propulsions are expected to remain based on internal combustion engines (ICE) for the foreseeable future. [1]
Electromobility encompasses semi- and full hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and battery electric vehicles, while this TPM focuses the last two types of vehicles. The following assessment will not describe policies concernig the instalment of a charging infrastructure, whereas these are considered separately.

Implementation examples

- DIRECTIVE 2009/33/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 23 April 2009 on the promotion of clean and energy-efficient road transport vehicles (EU) [7]
- European Green Cars Initiative (EGCI) Public-Private Partnership (EU) [1]
- German Federal Government’s National Electromobility Development Plan (DE) [3]

Objectives of TPM

The objective is to accelerated the market introduction of electric vehicles to achieve:
- climate protection
- reduction of local emissions and improve the air quality
- noise reduction
- decrease oil dependency
- increase energy security
- strengthening the motor-vehicle manufacturing industry, and thus the whole economy [3]

Choice of transport mode / Multimodality

Origin and/or destination of trip

Likely smaller distances because of lower distance range.

Trip frequency

Choice of route

Shortest route instead of fastest route.

Timing (day, hour)

Occupancy rate / Loading factor

Energy efficiency / Energy usage

- Higher well-to-wheel energy efficiency of electrical propulsion (2010 30%) compared to a combustion engine (18-23%) [4] (Well-to-wheel: life-cycle assessment for transport fuels and vehicles, which includes fuel production and processing as well as the vehicle operation)
- The energy efficiency depends on the type of electricity generation. [5]
- For the tank-to-wheel efficiency a range from 60-80% is given. [9] (Tank-to-wheel: life-cycle assessment for transport fuels and vehicles for the vehicle operation)

Main source

[1] European Commission (2011): European Green Cars initiative public-private partnership multi-annual roadmap and long-term strategy; Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union
[2] European Commission (2011): Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the sound level of motor vehicles; COM(2011) 856 final
[3] German Federal Government (2009): German Federal Government’s National Electromobility Development Plan
[4] Schill, Wolf-Peter, Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung (2010); Wochenbericht des DIW Berlin Nr. 27-28/2010
[5] Bickert, Kuckshinrichs (2011): Electromobility as a technical concept in an ecological mobility sector? An analysis of costs; 9th International Conference of the European Society for Ecological Economics (ESEE 2011): Advancing Ecological Economics - Theory and Practice June 14–17, 2011, Boğaziçi University, Istanbul, Turkey
[6] The Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled (January 5th, 2010); Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2010
[7] Directive 2009/33/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 on the promotion of clean and energy-efficient road transport vehicles
[8] PriceWaterhouseCoopers (2007): Impact assessment on a new approach for the cleaner and more energy efficient vehicles directive proposal, Annex 3 - Vehicles technologies performances comparison
[9] Hacker et al (2009): Environmental impacts and impact on the electricity market of a large scale introduction of electric cars in Europe - Critical Review of Literature, ETC/ACC Technical Paper 2009/4
[10] Althaus, Gauch (2010): Vergleichende Ökobilanz individueller Mobilität: Elektromobilität versus konventionelle Mobilität mit Bio- und fossilen Treibstoffen, Life Cycle Assessment and Modelling Group, Technologie und Gesellschaft, Empa, Dübendorf
[11] Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) / International Energy Agency (IEA) (2012): EV City Casebook. A look at the global electric vehicle movement.
[12] Fraunhofer-Institut für System- und Innovationsforschung - ISI (2011): Gesellschaftpolitische Fragestellungen der Elekromobilität. Karlsruhe
[13] Bundesministerium für Verkehr, Bau und Stadtentwicklung (2012): Zentrale Ergbenisse der sozialwissenschaftlichen Begleitforschung in den Modellregionen - Roadmap zuur Kundenakzeptanz. Referat U43, Innovationen für eine nachhaltige Mobilität. Berlin

Traffic Impacts

Passengers 

         

Transport operators 

           

Unassigned 

         

Travel or transport time

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Risk of congestion

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Vehicle mileage

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Service and comfort

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Overall impacts on social groups

Implementation phase

Operation phase

Summary / comments concerning the main impacts

- Electric vehicles have a considerable smaller driving range than combustion engines, additionally there are insufficient charging possibilities are at the moment. This could mean that closer destinations and shorter routes are chosen.
- The transport time does not change, but the charging time has to be taken into account. This might, at least for private motorized traffic, have a negative effect on the userfriendlyness/ service and comfort level of the vehicle.

Quantification of impacts


Economic Impacts

Passengers 

         

Transport operators 

           

Unassigned 

         

Transport costs

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Private income / commercial turn over

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Revenues in the transport sector

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Sectoral competitiveness

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Spatial competitiveness

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Housing expenditures

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Insurance costs

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Health service costs

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Public authorities & adm. burdens on businesses

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Public income (e.g.: taxes, charges)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Third countries and international relations

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Overall impacts on social groups

Potential first -time private customers (economic incentive) are full-time employee from cities (inh.<100.000) commuting to work regularly 30-50km [12].

Implementation phase

- High purchase costs: The costs for the acquisition of a electric vehicle are higher than of an alternative vehicle with a combustion engine. It is expected to remain higher even in the next two decades. [5]
- The purchase costs differ however, depending for example on the exact type of vehicle and additionally on the type of battery used. [9]

Operation phase

- The operation costs are lower for electric vehicles, but relatively high compared to the costs of acquisition. [5]
- The support of R&D will results in expenses for the public bodies.
- After implementation, when more and more electric cars are being produced, the prices of the EV will decline as their market increases. [11]

Summary / comments concerning the main impacts

- Operation costs are lower, but the overall costs increase with the use of a electric vehicle, for passengers as well as transport operators and service providers. For the latter this means a reduced revenue. [5]
- Strengthening of the research and technology location of the country / the EU by the support of R&D in the automotive sector increases the competitiveness and strengthens the entire economy. [3]
- Since regional competitiveness is motivated by the support R&D within the automotive sector, one would expect that also the sectoral competitiveness of this sector is improved.
- 3rd level impact: Energy efficient vehicles will require less fuel. This will lead to reduced public income for public bodies because these receive excise taxes on petrol.

Quantification of impacts

Purchase costs 2007:
Conventional diesel car: 22,046 €, Hybrid car: 24,371, Electric car: 25,485; Conventional diesel bus: 216,320€, Hybrid bus: 248,768€, Electric bus: 367,744€ [8]

Social Impacts
Environmental Impacts

Passengers 

         

Transport operators 

           

Unassigned 

         

Air pollutants

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Noise emissions

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Visual quality of the landscape

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Land use

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Climate

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Renewable or non-renewable resources

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Overall impacts on social groups

Implementation phase

Operation phase

Summary / comments concerning the main impacts

- Noise emissions are reduced significantly by an increased usage of electric vehicles.
- The reduction of air pollutions is only on the local level (concerning residents) unambiguous. In general the level of air pollutants depends on the production of the electric energy, which depends on the energy mix used (nevertheless the electricity mix also varies widely depending on geography, time of day and season) [9].
- The emission of CO2 of a electric vehicle depends on the source of energy, which do not emit NOx and PM. [8] Especially in urban areas with a high population density this reduced emissions have a strong effect. [9]
- Nevertheless, negative local environmental impacts are expected by the large-scale production of lithium for the lithium-ion batteries. [9]
- Depending on the source of energy, the energy production may have a negative effect on land use (coal) and produce radioactive waste (nuclear power plants). [10]
- Reduced oil consumption: energy security [5]

Quantification of impacts

- Total CO2 emissions: Conventional ICE car: 145-215 g/km; Electric Vehicle (depending on the source of energy: 8-140g/km. CO2 in g/km/NEDC WTW (NEDC: New European Driving Cycle; WTW: Well to Wheel) [1]
- The difference of well-to-wheel GHG emissions of electric (EV) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV) and their benefit compared to average conventional vehicles (CV) depends strongly on the considered grid mix assumptions, the benefit ranges from -38% (coal based energy production) to +81%. [9]

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