Public Transport Infrastructure with Electromobility Elements at the Smart City Level to Support Sustainability

Abstract

When implementing smart city elements, there are challenges in cities that need to be overcome. An analysis of global public transport infrastructure has indicated an upward trend in the integration of electric mobility solutions since 2022. The following research question characterises the problem on which the research was focused. RQ: What role do the smart city strategy and its overall planning play in promoting city sustainability via elements of electromobility in public transport? Cities are increasingly committed to promoting more sustainable urban mobility. This article discusses three areas of study: electromobility in public transport, the smart city concept, and sustainability. The novelty of this article has three parts, namely the intersection of the described areas; comparison and summarisation of best practice; and in-depth analysis of the selected city. The methodological approach includes the analysis of case studies, analysis of the selected city, sociological interviews, synthesis, and modelling. One of the main findings reveals that electromobility impacts the city’s sustainability. It was also revealed that not all cities have already prepared their strategies focusing on this issue, which is unfavourable because careful planning supports the achieving sustainability in public transport. The findings were included in the design of solutions in the field of public transport infrastructure with elements of electromobility at the smart city level. Additionally, requirements for cities and recommendations for policy makers in selected areas were identified.