How Electric Vehicles Will Shape The Future Of Smart Cities
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Electric vehicle adoption rates are increasing worldwide as several countries are promoting electric car use to reduce transportation emissions. According to the World Resources Institute, the top 5 countries with the highest rates of EV sales are Norway, Iceland, Sweden, the Netherlands, and China. Most of the cities in these countries have also been included in the 2024 Smart City Index, with Oslo being at the top since it was one of the first cities to adopt electric vehicles as part of their strategy to achieve carbon-neutrality in the future.
Recent developments in electric vehicle technology, as well as quality-of-life incentives have encouraged individuals, organizations, and governments to adopt EVs in smart cities. In the coming years, we can expect that electric vehicles will have a major part in the development of these cities while improving the daily life of locals and tourists. Here's how electric vehicles will shape the future of smart cities.
Government Fleets
Smart city leaders can reduce their operating costs and emissions by replacing their fleet vehicles with electric cars. According to recent reports, some city governments have started buying electric vehicles in bulk for their municipal fleets, and their EV adoption rate is said to be faster than the general public’s. Among these cities is Dallas, and 5 percent of this Texas city's municipal fleet is made up of plug-ins, hybrids, and EVs. New York City and San Jose, California are also leading the pack in EV adoption as 25 percent of their municipal fleet is made up of EVs.
After their initial EV purchase, a lot of cities are now planning to buy more units to add to their municipal fleet. Matt Stephens-Rich, who is the director of technical services for The Electrification Coalition, says that many leaders have started to see the benefits of switching to an electric car fleet. “Now the attitude is shifting to not just ‘How do we buy one or two of these, but tens, dozens at a time?’” he said.
Adopting clean and all electric vehicles not only reduces air pollution, but it can also reduce traffic noise in cities since EVs are notably silent compared to conventional cars. What's more, their rapid acceleration also helps city government workers and leaders to get to places faster during emergencies or to personally address situations that need their immediate action.
All-Electric Public Transportation
Most city leaders plan to integrate electric vehicles into their public transportation systems to provide citizens with sustainable ways to commute. In China for instance, 15 cities including Beijing and Shenzhen are planning to electrify all their public vehicles by 2035. The goal is to have at least 600,000 public vehicles on the road, such as electric buses, taxis, and sanitation vehicles, among others. Meanwhile, cities in Norway, Denmark, Slovenia, and the Netherlands have already achieved their goal of having 100 percent zero-emission public buses in 2023. Eight more EU cities are aiming to achieve 100 percent ZE bus fleets by next year.
Strategies to Prepare for a Greener Tomorrow
To prepare for the mass adoption of electric vehicles, smart cities have started to add more charging infrastructures to accommodate EV users. Currently, London has the highest number of EV charging stations, with more than 5,900 stations available. Amsterdam also has a growing number of chargers, with over 4,800 charging stations in 2023.
Some cities that have yet to be included in the Smart City Index list have also come up with incentives to encourage people to buy EVs. One of them is Makati City, which is one of the premiere business districts in the Philippines. The city is currently offering a cash incentive of Php 5,000 or about $90 for every EV purchased within its jurisdiction. Meanwhile, Bangkok is offering incentives for companies to transition their commercial fleets to electric vehicles. This Thai city is also offering cash grants for EV battery manufacturers as it aims to become an active player in the EV manufacturing industry.
Smart cities all over the world are actively encouraging the purchase and use of electric vehicles to protect the environment. In the coming years, we can expect that these cities will be prime examples of what sustainable cities are meant to be, and will become a source of inspiration for other countries that are taking baby steps to green their transportation systems.
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