Synergy and co-benefits of reducing CO2 and air pollutant emissions by promoting electric vehicles—A case of Shanghai

Abstract

With the growing number of vehicles on the road, the transport sector has become the second largest consumer of energy, after the industrial sector, and has become the main source of air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions. To support low-carbon development, since 2009, electric vehicles have been used to replace traditional fuel vehicles in China. In 2016, electric vehicles, including buses, taxis and private vehicles, accounted for 26.41% of the total number of new-energy vehicles in Shanghai. In this study, the synergy and co-benefits of reducing CO2 and air pollutant emissions by using electric private cars, taxis, and buses in Shanghai are analyzed. The co-control coordinate system and pollutant reduction cross-elasticity (Elsa/b) are used to identify and evaluate the generated co-benefits. Based on the total driving life cost, the unit air pollutant equivalent (Apeq) abatement costs of achieving synergy in three types of vehicles are assessed. The co-benefits generated by using the three types of electric vehicles are discussed by combining environmental benefit and cost-effectiveness analyses. The results show that electric buses provide the highest co-benefits. Thus, replacing traditional fuel vehicles with electric buses can simultaneously reduce air pollution and CO2 emissions. If we consider subsidies to electric vehicles provided by the government, there are great environmental and economic benefits of implementing electric buses in Shanghai. In addition, private electric cars and taxis also provide the co-benefits of reducing CO, NOx, NMHC, and PM10 emissions. The economic benefits of using electric taxis in Shanghai are more notable, even without considering subsidies.