An approach towards sustainable passenger mobility in urban areas: a life cycle perspective

Abstract

Today the high transport demand in urban areas causes high energy consumption and great environmental repercussions such as air and noise pollution, increasing shortage of space, high congestion and traffic jams [1–6]. Numerous studies have already proven that technological improvements alone will not be able to solve all of these problems [7–9]. In order to achieve a more sustainable passenger transportation system the mobility patterns themselves have to undergo certain changes. That goal may be achieved by combining three key elements: (1) technological improvements, (2) user behavior in terms of a modal shift to collective/public or non-motorized transport and (3) user behavior in terms of avoidance of traffic by utilizing information and communication technologies (ICT), intelligent transport systems (ITS) and decrease of travel distances [7–9]. A research project is undertaken to quantitatively assess the environmental and economic implications of the three key elements from a life cycle perspective in an urban area. Various means of transportation such as individual vehicular transport as well as public transport using passenger vehicles, trams, subways etc. with electric propulsion system will be considered. The assessment of next generation chemical storage units (batteries, supercapacitors) utilized by the various vehicles will be a large focus. The presented methodology aims at quantitatively assessing a defined excerpt of future urban mobility in order to analyze the economic and ecological performance of the three key elements one by one and in combination. Thus, pathways towards a more sustainable urban passenger transport will be identified to support decision makers in traffic and mobility management.