Two major ridesharing companies have promised all-electric fleets by 2030 in an effort to reduce their carbon footprint. To understand additional impacts of this transition, researchers reporting in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology conducted life-cycle comparisons of battery-powered electric vehicle fleets to a gas-powered one, using real-world rideshare data. They found up to a 45% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from full electrification; however, traffic problems and air pollution could increase.
Ridesharing apps are an increasingly popular way to travel around urban areas, especially for people without their own vehicles. But the cars and SUVs used in these situations drive more miles each year than a typical personal vehicle, contributing a higher proportion of greenhouse gases to the environment. Previously, researchers calculated that rideshare companies’ carbon footprints could significantly decrease by fully electrifying their fleets. However, few studies have used real-world rideshare trip data in their estimates, or included additional assessments of air pollution and traffic impacts, from the switch. So, Aniruddh Mohan and colleagues wanted to develop a method that evaluated the life-cycle costs and benefits for two battery-powered ridesource fleets and a gasoline-powered one.
The researchers collected real-world rideshare trip data for Chicago and used it to simulate rides provided by three fleets: gasoline-powered, and electric-powered with either 40 kWh or 60 kWh battery packs. Then, they did a comprehensive estimate of the use-phase and life-cycle impacts of the trips made in the simulations. Combining these data, they assigned a monetary value to each trip, based on the assumed damage done by carbon emissions, negative health impacts and traffic-related issues.
Read more at American Chemical Society
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