On 14 December, the Policy Learning Platform held the final of its trilogy of e-mobility webinars, on integrating e-mobility into territorial planning.
E-mobility will have a profound impact on the wider city, affecting the electricity grid and transport flows, and therefore needs to be considered in relation to energy policy, regional development strategies, and engagement with public and private stakeholders. The webinar featured experiences from PROMETEUS, POTEnT, E-MOB and e-MOPOLI on developing e-mobility strategies and embedding e-mobility into city frameworks.
You can also explore the recordings of e-mobility I on clean public transport and e-mobility II on the roll-out of charging infrastructure.
From this webinar, we can highlight some key insights for local and regional policymakers:
The uptake of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) will be a key part of the energy transition, enabling us to meet the targets of the Paris Agreement. The Zero Emissions Vehicles Transition Council, established in November 2020, has set out its action plan, one of the main outcomes of COP26, noting that, “road transport accounts for over 10% of GHG emissions, and the total emissions are rising faster than any other sector.” E-vehicle sales are increasing, but there is also a significant role for hybrid vehicles as a transitional technology as the e-mobility market matures;
E-vehicles will only be sustainable if they are efficient, are powered by renewable energy, and do not cause significant interruption to the electricity grid. The market is still not completely mature, and countries still need to invest more in renewable energy capacity, as well as in research for vehicle-to-grid, smart charging, and energy storage technologies;
As well as technological development, social and business model innovation will be key to the transition, with greater use of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) and shared e-mobility options, where individuals do not need to own a vehicle but can access as and when needed. As well as giving access to e-mobility, such services can also reduce congestion and help cities move away from car-focused planning, reducing the space taken up by vehicles. More work, however, is required on interoperability, business models, platforms and data security;
As well as technological development, social and business model innovation will be key to the transition, with greater use of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) and shared e-mobility options, where individuals do not need to own a vehicle but can access as and when needed. As well as giving access to e-mobility, such services can also reduce congestion and help cities move away from car-focused planning, reducing the space taken up by vehicles. More work, however, is required on interoperability, business models, platforms and data security;
Transport policies are often urban-focused and rural areas need individual consideration. Specific sustainability solutions are available for rural areas, such as a shared e-mobility and on-demand systems. Mountain and rural areas are also, often, net producers of sustainable energy, with green communities and smart villages having high potential for e-mobility;
Brescia, Italy, has developed a set of provincial guidelines for e-mobility for use by its municipalities. The guidelines integrate relevant regulations from all policy-levels, the state of play for e-mobility and charging infrastructure; a database of technical requirements, description of possible e-mobility service users, interviews with stakeholders, scenarios of e-mobility diffusion and a communication plan. The process revealed the importance of developing synergies between all political levels, as well as engaging all stakeholders, especially from the private sector, and considering different fleets, from public transport to freight vehicles;
Pamplona, Spain, is looking to become a smart city, with several plans and strategies for the transition. The city has already made significant effort to become more sustainable, with e-mobility as a key issue, as being explored in the STARDUST project. Pamplona has significantly invested in rolling our charging infrastructure for the public, as well as fast charging for taxis, platforms for monitoring performance of e-buses, and educational campaigns for citizens to teach them about e-mobility, but also active transport. Small e-mobility (scooters, e-bikes) are also be introduced, with legislation to limit speed, engine size and parking spaces. Such personal mobility vehicles are excellent solutions for cities but need to introduced in harmony with cars and pedestrians
The town of Paks, in Hungary, is located near to the country’s only nuclear power plant, which will be upgraded and expanded, with a significant increase in traffic expected. In response, the municipality wanted to make greater use of sustainable mobility, integrated with use of renewables and smart grids. Paks prepared a project under ELENA (European Local Energy Assistance) to prepare a smart grid project named Proteus, establishing a project company and a public transport company to implement a Green City Strategy, making use of carbon-free public transport and support a local renewable energy community. The municipality stressed the importance of holistic planning between energy and mobility, making use of locally generated energy.
Discussions included how to tackle the territorial aspects of e-mobility, such as including rural and urban areas together in the transition. It was noted that for rural and mountainous regions less infrastructure is required, but more strategically placed, making use of micro-grids and decentralised energy generation to give communities empowerment and build acceptance; It was also noted that what happens at regional and local level often does not reach up to the European and national level, meaning legislation and policy instruments may not reflect regional needs. This includes Operational Programmes for European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIFs);
Data management is a key challenge for e-mobility integration. Whilst data is available, it is not always public, accessible, and connected. Major consideration of privacy and data protection is needed to unlock the potential. Monitoring systems and KPIs were also emphasised as being vital for long-term development, checking what impact interventions are really having;
Regions have much to learn from each other. Public authorities should take advantage of opportunities to learn from other regions which have already begun the transition, through Interreg Europe projects and the Policy Learning Platform which can offer on-demand expert support through peer reviews and matchmakings.
