The automotive market is undergoing a massive transition. Automotive OEMs are all pledging to phase out most of their gas- and diesel-powered models for electrified versions that will be the primary seller by 2035.
To help encourage wider adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), researchers at Newcastle University said that local policies and incentives in cities will be key.
“One reason why investors, manufacturers, consumers have held off to adopt widely electric vehicles, is uncertainty — around policy direction but also, and more importantly, around timing,” said Oliver Heidrich, professor at Newcastle. “Although it is now pretty clear that EVs will replace petrol and diesel vehicles soon, what is not clear is how this can happen, and who should take the lead in reducing some of these uncertainties.”
Researchers believe that cities will play a key role in stimulating the use of EVs and leverage the tools they control to influence consumer behavior. These include:
- Road access rights
- Parking charges
- Land-use policies
Additionally, cities could use national funding to purchase or lease EVs, which would help tackle the perception that these cars are aimed at more affluent consumers. Other areas could include investing in electric bus fleets or bus electrification as well as corporate fleets.
Different cities, different needs
Researchers said geography is a main factor in helping the transition to EVs.
Density, socio-economic setting and quality and availability of alternative transportation are also situational factors. But it is unique for each city and city planners need to formulate its approach to support EVs including:
- Providing charging stations in more densely populated areas.
- Investing in long-distance public infrastructure.
- Support home-charging infrastructures.
Educating and incentivizing the use of EVs in cities could be achieved through simple measures like giving access to priority traffic lanes, free parking or tax exemptions. Or ramp up even more extreme measures such as banning internal combustion engines.
The full research can be found in the journal Nature Electronics.
