Introduction
That hum in the distance is the sound of the concept of mobility changing – for the better. While challenges to the electrification of the vehicle parcpersist, opportunities worth fighting for also lay ahead. This is particularly evident in cities, where emissions, congestion, and safety constitute major issues today. If the status quo continues, mobility
problems will intensify as population and GDP growth drive increased car ownership and vehicle miles traveled. In response, the mobility industry is unleashing a dazzling array of innovations designed for urban roads, such as mobility-as-a- service, advanced traffic management and parking systems, freight-sharing solutions, and new
transportation concepts on two or three wheels.
The current opportunity to transform the way we move fundamentally results from changes in three main areas: regulation, consumer behavior, and technology. Regulation. Governments and cities have introduced regulations and incentives to accelerate the shift to sustainable mobility.
Regulators worldwide are defining more stringent emissions targets. The European Union presented its “Fit for 55” program, which seeks to align climate, energy, land use, transport, and taxation policies to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, and the Biden administration introduced a 50 percent electric vehicle (EV) target for 2030. Beyond such mandates, most governments are also offering EV subsidies.
Cities are working to reduce private vehicle use and congestion by offering greater support for alternative mobility modes like bicycles. Paris announced it will invest more than $300 million to update its bicycle network and convert 50
kilometers of car lanes into bicycle lanes. Many urban areas are also implementing access regulations for cars. In fact, over 150 cities in Europe have already created access regulations for low emissions and pollution emergencies.
Consumer behavior. Consumer behavior and awareness are changing as more people accept alternative and sustainable mobility modes. Innercity trips with shared bicycles and e-scooters have risen 60 percent year-over-year and the latest McKinsey consumer survey suggests average bicycle use (shared and private) may increase more than 10 percent in the post-pandemic world compared with pre-pandemic levels (See also “The future of micromobility: Ridership and revenue after a crisis”, July 2020). In addition, consumers are becoming more open to shared mobility
options. More than 20 percent of Germans surveyed say they already use ride-pooling services (6 percent do so at least once per week), which can help reduce vehicle miles traveled and emissions (See also “Shared mobility: Where it stands, where it’s headed”, August 2021).
Technology – Industry players are accelerating the speed of automotive technology innovation as they develop new concepts of electric, connected, autonomous, and shared mobility. Theindustry has attracted more than $400 billion in
investments over the last decade – with about $100 billion of that coming since the beginning of All this money targets companies and start- ups working on electrifying mobility, connecting vehicles, and autonomous driving technology
(See also “Mobility’s future: An investment reality check”, April 2021). Such technology innovations will help reduce EV costs and make electric shared mobility a real alternative to owning a car.
Electrification will play an important role in the transformation of the mobility industry and presents major opportunities in all vehicle segments, although the pace and extent of change will differ. To ensure the fast, widespread adoption of electric mobility, launching new EVs in the market is an important first step. In addition, the
entire mobility ecosystem must work to make the transformation successful, from EV manufacturers and suppliers to financers, dealers, energy providers, and charging station operators – toname only a few.
