Abstract
Electric vehicles are regarded as energy transition technology towards more sustainable and environment-friendly transportation systems. Despite the benefits of reducing the dependence on fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions, the adoption of electric vehicles faces several obstacles ranging from financing issues, government policies, and public acceptance. This study aims to identify the economic, environmental, and social impact of the adoption of electric vehicles for public transportation. Using the Philippines as a case study, the findings highlight the economic advantage of investing in electric public transportation with high public acceptance. The results further identify significant decrease in air pollution, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and encourage lowering the reliance on imported fossil fuels by shifting the public transport from conventional to electric transport system. This study recommends stricter implementation of government policies on modernized public transportation, stronger government support on financing mechanisms, establishment of charging stations in public and private terminals, and boosting programs for developing local-made electric vehicles. To make electric vehicle more environment-friendly, the government must accelerate the energy transition by increasing the electricity share from renewable sources and investing in more sustainable sources of energy.
Highlights
Environmental problems relating to air pollution and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from combustion of fossil fuels have prompted different countries and regions to find more sustainable modes of transportation
We focused our analysis on four compounds including particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), and carbon monoxide (CO)
Electric vehicles appear to be the future of public transportation, addressing global issues including greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, and energy sustainability
Summary
Environmental problems relating to air pollution and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from combustion of fossil fuels have prompted different countries and regions to find more sustainable modes of transportation. In 2018, over two million EVs were sold worldwide and this number is expected to rise to 56 million by 2040 [1] With this trend, EVs are expected to significantly reduce GHG emissions, improve air quality, lessen dependence on fossil fuels, and enable the transition to renewable energy and sustainable transportation [2,3]. Investment in EVs in developing countries is challenged by high overnight cost, availability of charging infrastructure, policy support, and low public acceptance. These challenges give us the motivation to make a study that analyzes the adoption of EVs for public transportation focusing on developing countries
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