InCo flagship on “Urban mobility and sustainable electrification in large urban areas in developing and emerging economies”

Climate change, energy security and local air pollution are some of the key questions for the 21st century. Urban areas in developing and emerging countries are major driving factors in growing global energy demand and Greenhouse Gas emissions.

Although cities cover only 2% of the earth's surface, 50% of the world’s population lives in cities, but they are responsible for three-quarters of the global energy consumption as well as approximately 80% of the global greenhouse gas emissions. While the trend towards urbanisation and the associated increase of personal and freight transport creates massive challenges, in particular in developing and emerging economies, it also offers the unique opportunity to shape energy use especially in the transport and urban form towards a low carbon pathway. Moving towards sustainable mobility will also help addressing urban congestion, access to jobs and public services, and local air pollution.

This is why urbanisation requires integrated mobility solutions that bring together technology opportunities with local and national policy, including land use and mobility planning. Efficient transport and mobility, based on a balanced mix of public and private transport and dependent on the characteristics of each city, is and will continue to be the backbone of cities’ growth and competitiveness.

Whereas environmental issues are very high on urban mobility agendas, the importance of transport in urban social and economic structures is often neglected in discussions. All three aspects of urban sustainability must be treated with equal importance and have to be examined in parallel.

Scope

Actions should bring together European, Asian (e.g. China), CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) and African research partners, government agencies and urban authorities, private sector and civil society with relevant expertise and competence within the corresponding cooperation framework and foster participatory engagement in urban electrification in order to reduce air pollution and CO2 emissions. All types of vehicle are considered under this topic (powered 2 wheelers, cars, buses, trucks and LDV).

Proposals should address all of the following activities:

• Development of a toolbox for advanced management strategies towards a more efficient private and public electric mobility: E-mobility management strategies, focusing on smart deployment and operation of vehicles, in particular electrified vehicle, to increase mobility and energy efficiency, emission reduction and user acceptance of electrified vehicles
  • A smart and cooperative management of the vehicle in urban operation, (intermodal route planning, ecorouting eco-driving charging and parking infrastructure availability…).
  • Deployment and operation of infrastructure use charging infrastructure (conventional and wireless) and network, availability of parking places. Adaptation and integration of existing/ adapted vehicles of different types if necessary.
  • Efficient integration of the operations of different electrified road public transport, from e-bike to bus rapid transit ( e- BRT) including mini-buses, taxi and mobility services on demand through smart navigation and routing, coordinated traffic management, demand-responsive service and dispatching
• Comparative demonstrations activities and pilots in cities in Europe, Asia, African and/or CELAC countries: Innovative concepts for electrified road public transport (passenger and freight), jointly designed through International Partnerships as a contribution to a wider sustainable mobility concept, from the perspective of a seamless mobility, taking in account the acceptance of users (travellers or freight operator). Comparative demonstrations activities and pilots (in European and Chinese’s Cities, African, CELAC countries) of such jointly designed concepts developed by local partners.
• Implementation concepts to scale up the demonstration activities. Evaluation of the relative outputs and accordingly the development of implementation concepts to scale up the demonstration activities and exploration of the sustainable mobility planning in the city transformation process :
  • Sustainable planning of city and transportation infrastructure: link city planning with policy discussion and implementation solutions and city goals
  • Dedicated plans for financing solutions, including public and private operations.
  • Regional and international replication conditions to reach out to a larger number of cities and countries

Cooperation and synergies with ongoing activities undertaken with international initiatives such as Decarbonising Transport (International Transport Forum) and the Urban Electric Mobility Initiative (UN-Habitat) and other joint initiatives of European Member States international cooperation initiatives and the European Commission (e.g. Mobilise Your City) should be sought where appropriate.

In line with the strategy for EU international cooperation in research and innovation, international cooperation is encouraged.

Applicants are invited to read the eligibility and admissibility conditions for this topic.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU in the range of EUR 15 and 18 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

Expected Impact

Proposals are expected to contribute to:

• Capability to quantify the potential reduction of greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions as well as traffic congestion, by demonstrating improvements that can be achieved with new urban mobility systems and electrification, for each stakeholder in the value chain (in line with the objectives set by the COP21 and the New Urban Agenda)
• Reference models of the mobility system to provide a basis in order to assess the ability to replicate sustainable concepts by demonstrating the short- and long-term benefit for the stakeholders involved, and especially considering the relevant boundary conditions (i.e infrastructure, vehicle, usage needs and patterns, governance, financing schemes, urban organisation, etc) and how the result contributes to key EU policy goals ( including climate goals and competitiveness of European industry
• A basis for strengthening the collaboration of the European Union with Asia (e.g. China, India, etc), Latin America (CELAC) and Africa, which also offers both a common starting point for common future legislative efforts, as well a favourable setting for new business opportunities for innovative local and European entrepreneurs.

Cross-cutting Priorities

• Open Innovation
• Contractual Public-Private Partnerships (cPPPs)
• EGVI
• International cooperation
• Socio-economic science and humanities