Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Improving Air Quality
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44
reduced rates on ferries, access to bus lanes, and free parking (Figenbaum,
2017). These incentives make a difference; people respond to opportunities
that are beneficial to them. During the first seven months of 2018, 3738 new
plug- in passenger EVs were registered in Norway; this is about 45.7% of the
new car market (Kane, 2018a). For all of 2018, 40% of new car sales were
EVs (Irle, 2019); no other country has a higher percentage of EVs for new car
purchases. In Iceland, 17.5% of new car sales were EVs in 2018, compared
to 7.2% in Sweden (Irle, 2019). A number of other locations have also
implemented incentives for people to transition to electric vehicles, as well
as incentives to generate electricity with renewable energy. These are often
justified not only because of the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,
but also because of their more immediate effects in improving air quality.
By country, the largest number of EVs sold in 2017 was in China, with
about 580,000 new car EV sales (IEA, 2018). For 2018, the number of new
light- duty EVs increased to 1.2 million in China (Irle, 2019). Worldwide, the
number of light EVs in service was more than 5.4 million at the end of 2018,
and the increase from the end of 2017 was more than 50%. In summary, there
was good growth in EV sales in 2017, and that sales growth continued to
accelerate in 2018. Globally, there are more than 50 different models of EV on
sale in 2019.
4.3 Electric Bicycles
Another important recent development is the growth in the electric bicycles
(e- bikes) market. E- bikes are relatively small, with batteries that are about
500 Wh in many cases, but many e- bikes allow the rider to travel at speeds
that keep up with city traffic (Barnard, 2018). Although a relatively small
market in the USA, e- bikes are a very large and growing part of the transportation mix in China.
4.3.1 Electric Bicycles in China
E- bike sales exceed 20 million per year in China, and they are used for
inexpensive and efficient daily transportation to work and other locations.
The cost of owning and operating an e- bike is of the order of 1 cent per km
(Salmeron- Manzano and Manzano- Agugliaro, 2018). In 2015, worldwide
sales of e- bikes were more than 40 million, with most of these in Asia, about
5% in Europe, and less than 1% in the USA. Some e- bikes are designed to
provide power when the person on the bike is pedaling (pedalecs). Some
e- bikes only provide power up to a given speed, such as 20 or 25 kmph.
The e- bike provides more exercise than riding in a car, but less exercise
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44
reduced rates on ferries, access to bus lanes, and free parking (Figenbaum,
2017). These incentives make a difference; people respond to opportunities
that are beneficial to them. During the first seven months of 2018, 3738 new
plug- in passenger EVs were registered in Norway; this is about 45.7% of the
new car market (Kane, 2018a). For all of 2018, 40% of new car sales were
EVs (Irle, 2019); no other country has a higher percentage of EVs for new car
purchases. In Iceland, 17.5% of new car sales were EVs in 2018, compared
to 7.2% in Sweden (Irle, 2019). A number of other locations have also
implemented incentives for people to transition to electric vehicles, as well
as incentives to generate electricity with renewable energy. These are often
justified not only because of the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,
but also because of their more immediate effects in improving air quality.
By country, the largest number of EVs sold in 2017 was in China, with
about 580,000 new car EV sales (IEA, 2018). For 2018, the number of new
light- duty EVs increased to 1.2 million in China (Irle, 2019). Worldwide, the
number of light EVs in service was more than 5.4 million at the end of 2018,
and the increase from the end of 2017 was more than 50%. In summary, there
was good growth in EV sales in 2017, and that sales growth continued to
accelerate in 2018. Globally, there are more than 50 different models of EV on
sale in 2019.
4.3 Electric Bicycles
Another important recent development is the growth in the electric bicycles
(e- bikes) market. E- bikes are relatively small, with batteries that are about
500 Wh in many cases, but many e- bikes allow the rider to travel at speeds
that keep up with city traffic (Barnard, 2018). Although a relatively small
market in the USA, e- bikes are a very large and growing part of the transportation mix in China.
4.3.1 Electric Bicycles in China
E- bike sales exceed 20 million per year in China, and they are used for
inexpensive and efficient daily transportation to work and other locations.
The cost of owning and operating an e- bike is of the order of 1 cent per km
(Salmeron- Manzano and Manzano- Agugliaro, 2018). In 2015, worldwide
sales of e- bikes were more than 40 million, with most of these in Asia, about
5% in Europe, and less than 1% in the USA. Some e- bikes are designed to
provide power when the person on the bike is pedaling (pedalecs). Some
e- bikes only provide power up to a given speed, such as 20 or 25 kmph.
The e- bike provides more exercise than riding in a car, but less exercise