Technical Challenges of the Battery Electric Vehicle Transition

This practical guide identifies the technical challenges of transitioning to battery electric vehicles in Australia, reviews the impacts of life cycle emissions on passenger transport systems, and presents government, institutional and personal requirements for reducing passenger vehicle mode share.

Accommodating renewable energy sources to achieve emission reductions following a 1.5 degreesC pathway laid out by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will require a significant reduction in transport energy demand. This book guides the reader through multiple necessary approaches, including demand reduction, significant holistic efficiency increases, and technology adoption that progresses beyond physical transport options. The scope is for the medium to long-term, addressing the complex challenges of battery electric vehicle sales regulation and disposal to 2050. Successful examples and policies from around the world are reviewed to showcase necessary societal changes to support a transition to sustainable transport in cities. The book provides readers with a fundamental technical understanding of passenger transport energy demand and necessary emissions reduction solutions. Applying this knowledge is fundamental in decision-making for sustainable transport solutions.

This accessible and practical shortform book provides information necessary for policy-makers, transport industry professionals, and interested sustainability researchers. Although the discussion and focus are on Australian cities, the cases described, policies analyzed, and recommendations made are applicable to any developed city worldwide.