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Driving the e-mobility agenda
The global mobility vehicle fleet is set to double by 2050, with more than 90% of future vehicle growth projected to take place in low and middle-income countries. Statistics like these should concern everyone since an increase in the global vehicle fleet will directly lead to an increase in global pollution. A transition to cleaner energies for road passenger transport is, therefore, crucial for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Paul Kyoma.
By: Admin ., Journalist @New Vision
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OPINION
By Paul Kyoma
The story of the transportation challenges in Kampala and, indeed, in major global cities is incomplete without a discussion of the traffic jam. The gridlock not only paralyses movement through longer hours of prolonged vehicle idling and inefficient fuel consumption, but also affects the air quality.
The environmental effect of such traffic congestion manifests in Kampala, where air pollution has become a growing public health concern. For example, Kampala has continually been ranked by IQAir, a firm that offers air quality technology, among the 10 most polluted cities in the world. According to government figures, a quarter of the air pollution in Kampala comes from the transport industry. Most of the vehicles on Uganda’s roads are those nearing the end of their lives. This assertion is evident in the age of the imported vehicles, with most of them averaging 16 years of life at first registration.
Transportation makes up 10% of Africa’s total greenhouse gas emissions and that figure is expected to increase as the vehicle market size in the sub-Saharan Africa is anticipated to grow from 25 million vehicles in 2021 to over 58 million by 2040 in South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Ethiopia and Nigeria combined.
Discussions of the movement of people, goods and services should very much be a concern for governments as it is a concern for citizens. This is why: Mobility is the largest single contributing sector to the global economy, valued at approximately $15 trillion in 2017 and is projected to grow to over $26.6 trillion by 2030, according to the United Nations Environment Programme.
The global mobility vehicle fleet is set to double by 2050, with more than 90% of future vehicle growth projected to take place in low and middle-income countries. Statistics like these should concern everyone since an increase in the global vehicle fleet will directly lead to an increase in global pollution. A transition to cleaner energies for road passenger transport is, therefore, crucial for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Advances in battery technology, manufacturing and supportive policies are driving the adoption and use of battery electric vehicles, while synthetic fuels are also being explored as a complementary low-carbon option, notably by major global automakers. Policies in advanced markets in the developed world aim to fully electrify new car sales by the 2030s, with some exceptions for carbon-neutral synthetic fuel vehicles. This shift in the automobile industry shows a deliberate move to cut down on carbon emissions as well as improve the health of the population.
A study led by researchers at ETH Zurich and the Paul Scherrer Institute, both in Switzerland, in collaboration with African partners in Makerere University, University of Port Harcourt and Stellenbosch University, shows that electric vehicles could be economically competitive in many African countries before 2040, as long as charging infrastructure is developed and geared specifically toward solar-powered off-grid systems.
Transportation makes up 10% of Africa’s total greenhouse gas emissions and that figure is expected to increase as the vehicle market size in the sub-Saharan Africa is anticipated to grow from 25 million vehicles in 2021 to over 58 million by 2040 in South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Ethiopia and Nigeria combined.
Discussions of the movement of people, goods and services should very much be a concern for governments as it is a concern for citizens. This is why: Mobility is the largest single contributing sector to the global economy, valued at approximately $15 trillion in 2017 and is projected to grow to over $26.6 trillion by 2030, according to the United Nations Environment Programme.
The global mobility vehicle fleet is set to double by 2050, with more than 90% of future vehicle growth projected to take place in low and middle-income countries. Statistics like these should concern everyone since an increase in the global vehicle fleet will directly lead to an increase in global pollution. A transition to cleaner energies for road passenger transport is, therefore, crucial for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Advances in battery technology, manufacturing and supportive policies are driving the adoption and use of battery electric vehicles, while synthetic fuels are also being explored as a complementary low-carbon option, notably by major global automakers. Policies in advanced markets in the developed world aim to fully electrify new car sales by the 2030s, with some exceptions for carbon-neutral synthetic fuel vehicles. This shift in the automobile industry shows a deliberate move to cut down on carbon emissions as well as improve the health of the population.
A study led by researchers at ETH Zurich and the Paul Scherrer Institute, both in Switzerland, in collaboration with African partners in Makerere University, University of Port Harcourt and Stellenbosch University, shows that electric vehicles could be economically competitive in many African countries before 2040, as long as charging infrastructure is developed and geared specifically toward solar-powered off-grid systems.
In Uganda, the National e-Mobility Strategy has made a bold target of the country fully transitioning to e-mobility in public transport and motorcycles by 2030 and passenger vehicle sales by 2040. Steps toward the realisation of this dream have already started. Last month, the Ministry of Works and Transport introduced the E-Bus Xpress service, a subsidiary of Kiira Motors Corporation.
The buses are fully fitted with free WiFi and charging ports to drive demand while targeting to ease congestion in high-demand commuter suburbs of Kampala. This introduction builds on the trend of e-motorcycles that is already visible in the bodaboda industry in the country.
The proliferation means stakeholders must ensure that the maintenance and repair services are established and are easily accessible for those who need them. Also, conversations have to take place regarding how to set up charging systems in areas that are off the electricity grid. This affects electric vehicles, in particular, since the initial outlay is higher. As such, conversations about financing options must not be missed at the discussion tables of how to meet the country’s e-mobility targets.
The writer is the researcher, ESYN project
The buses are fully fitted with free WiFi and charging ports to drive demand while targeting to ease congestion in high-demand commuter suburbs of Kampala. This introduction builds on the trend of e-motorcycles that is already visible in the bodaboda industry in the country.
The proliferation means stakeholders must ensure that the maintenance and repair services are established and are easily accessible for those who need them. Also, conversations have to take place regarding how to set up charging systems in areas that are off the electricity grid. This affects electric vehicles, in particular, since the initial outlay is higher. As such, conversations about financing options must not be missed at the discussion tables of how to meet the country’s e-mobility targets.
The writer is the researcher, ESYN project