The emission reduction potential is equivalent to the absorption of greenhouse gases by 1.9 million adult trees over the same period of time.
By INSTITUTIONAL COMMUNICATION | EGADE BUSINESS SCHOOL
EGADE Business School - Tecnológico de Monterrey and VEMO, a Mexican firm that seeks to accelerate clean mobility in Latin America, published an analysis of the potential impact of the electrification of public transport in Mexico City, in order to estimate the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by replacing all internal combustion buses with electric buses.
The study, “Electromobility in Mexico: a proposal for mitigating emissions and its impact on health,” concluded that the electrification of public transport buses would mitigate 40.5 thousand tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year, equivalent to the absorption of CO2 by 1.9 million adult trees over the same period of time, as well as 364 tons of toxic pollutants, mainly nitrogen oxides (NOx).
At present, the fact of the matter is that transport emissions are still rising. Given the high dependence on fossil fuels, transport represents 65% of GHG emissions in cities. Regarding pollution emissions that affect air quality, 75% of particulate matter 2.5 (PM 2.5) comes from HGVs and buses, while transport is responsible for 88% of NOx, (Carbon Trust, 2018).
To estimate the reduction in emissions from public transport when using electric buses instead of internal combustion buses, the analysis followed a methodology that considered the specific consumption of both technologies and the emission factor of Mexico’s national electricity system.
According to the authors, the study shows that, as the world pursues the vision of a more environmentally responsible decarbonized transport sector that protects people’s well-being, the contribution of electric vehicles will undoubtedly be significant.
The analysis also addressed four central ideas regarding electric vehicles:
- Electric vehicles impact climate change by reducing GHG emissions; the economy by protecting productivity and reducing public health costs; and health by reducing toxic pollutants.
- Considering their entire useful life (from the extraction of raw materials to their final disposal), electric vehicles comprise a climate change mitigation measure since they have a lower carbon footprint, particularly when they are used intensively and travel numerous kilometers.
- The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions increases when there is a greater penetration of clean energies in the energy matrix of the region where the vehicle is recharged.
- The electrification of public transport could play a key role in the evolution of the electric vehicle industry.
On this topic, Osmar Zavaleta Vázquez, professor from the Department of Business Finance and Economics at EGADE Business School and co-author of the study, commented:
“Taking measures to reduce the pollution generated by transport is vital in order to improve air quality and reduce the emissions that contribute to global warming nationwide. There is no single solution to this problem. However, all the actions we undertake to reduce the need to get around in vehicles, be they gasoline or electric, will positively impact the reduction of polluting emissions.”
For her part, Yolanda Villegas González, legal director of Compliance and Institutional Relations at VEMO and coauthor of the analysis, pointed out that:
“Climate change is approached from different perspectives, especially in the field of mobility. Several options are available to promote electric vehicles and their positive environmental impact and reduce costs. In addition, joint efforts are being carried out with companies and organizations that are promoting electromobility. These actions seek to reach a broader public and generate momentum to transition towards a clean and sustainable transport system that meets the population's needs.”
The study’s other authors are Ana Cecilia Garza Cortez, graduate of the Specialization in Energy Management, EGADE Business School; Víctor Humberto Gutiérrez Campos, national leader for Campus Sustainability at Tecnológico de Monterrey; and Andrea Álvarez Rocha, ESG leader at VEMO.
View the full analysis here.