Smart mobility makes the zero-emission city possible

- They always ask the same question: 'How did you do it?'

If urban transport planning had its own celebrities, Sture Portvik would be on the A-list. As head of Oslo's electric mobility initiative, he is often contacted by journalists and urban planners keen to learn how Oslo has come so far in electrifying its transport sector.

- A journalist from Le Monde once said: 'Everywhere else, electric transport is mainly about pilot projects. In Oslo, it is becoming an everyday reality,' says Portvik.

The figures confirm this. More than half of all new passenger cars in Norway are electric, and public transport is following suit. By the end of 2021, around 40 per cent of all buses in Oslo will be electric. So, how have we achieved this?

Part of the answer lies in government policy. For two decades, the authorities have encouraged people to buy electric vehicles, primarily through substantial tax reductions. In fact, Norway has been the cheapest country in the world in which to buy and own an electric car. In addition, many cities have introduced further incentives for electric car owners, such as toll exemptions, free or subsidised parking and access to bus lanes.

But according to Portvik, getting people to buy electric cars is the easy part.

- The real headache is the infrastructure. Electrification essentially requires us to bring together two sectors that have developed independently of each other: transport and the power grid. Put simply, providing charging stations for the entire fleet of cars and buses requires far more infrastructure than petrol stations do.

This is where Norway benefits from a dynamic and innovative ecosystem for intelligent transport systems.

'In Oslo and across Norway, we have a number of skilled, flexible and innovative smart mobility companies. They can provide the solutions we need,' says Portvik.

- This applies to both hardware and software solutions. In charging infrastructure alone, we have companies such as Zaptec, Mer, BKK and Recharge. There is also extensive expertise in using artificial intelligence and smart power management to improve the efficiency of charging systems. Companies such as Tibber and Flexibility are leading the way. The entire smart mobility ecosystem around StartupLab in Oslo is also impressive.

In the world of goods transport, mobility company Paxster is leading the way. Its compact, single-seater electric vehicles zip around cities delivering post, parcels and even takeaway food.

'Sixty per cent of the transport resources for a given product go towards last-mile delivery – the final leg from the shop or depot to the delivery destination,' explains Arild Brudeli, Head of Systems and Innovation at Paxster.

'In terms of energy use, a Paxster can be more than 20 times as efficient as a standard van making the same delivery – all without generating emissions,' he says.

Paxster's electric delivery vehicle was originally developed at the request of Norway Post to improve efficiency and cut emissions. So far, Paxster has delivered on both fronts.

- Because it is smaller and faster, a Paxster can make almost twice as many parcel deliveries in a day as a standard diesel-powered van.

- This does not mean that conventional vans are a thing of the past. The idea is to make sure we use the right tools for the job – and smaller, purpose-built electric vehicles are better suited to delivering small parcels over the final stretch from a shop or depot to the delivery address,' says Brudeli.

He also highlights the enormous environmental impact of the rapid growth in e-commerce.

- Between 2014 and 2020, global e-commerce sales almost quadrupled, and that was before the pandemic. But this growth has not been green; it has relied on fossil fuel-based transport. That is why it is vital that we find solutions to reduce the footprint of last-mile deliveries.

Paxster's electric delivery vehicle now handles this stage of transport worldwide.

'We had just completed our first project with Posten when the New Zealand postal service called. We now have a presence worldwide and work with both delivery companies and local authorities in cities such as London, Berlin and Madrid.'

Although the climate crisis remains the driving force behind the electrification of cities, the process brings significant and immediate benefits to city residents.

'Between 2009 and 2019, CO2 emissions from Oslo's transport sector fell by 20 per cent, and the influx of electric buses and delivery vehicles since then has probably pushed that figure even higher. But we have also seen significant reductions of nearly 30 per cent in airborne pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide, sulphur oxides and PM2.5,' says Sture Portvik.

He emphasises that efforts to replace old wood-burning stoves have probably also contributed to this.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) more than 80 per cent of people living in urban areas are exposed to potentially harmful levels of pollutants. This increases the incidence of stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic and acute respiratory diseases. Researchers estimate that urban air pollution causes 3.4 million premature deaths each year.

While this alone should be reason enough for cities to accelerate electrification, Arild Brudeli of Paxster points out that electrifying transport also brings a range of other, perhaps less tangible, improvements to quality of life.

'Vehicles are everywhere in the city, and every resident interacts with them in one way or another throughout the day. It stands to reason that how these vehicles look, sound and behave can have a significant impact on people's wellbeing. In that sense, quieter, smaller and smarter vehicles can benefit people living in cities,' he says.

- There is not much research on this yet, but we are involved in a project with the Institute of Transport Economics exploring how different types of vehicles affect pedestrians' experience in the city centre.

Smart, flexible and fully electric: Paxster and Oslo are embracing the growing trends in urban mobility. These challenges will be explored in depth at the ITS World Congress, taking place in Hamburg in October 2021.

The congress is the world's largest event focusing on smart mobility solutions and the digitalisation of transport, and expects to welcome around 15,000 participants, business representatives and industry stakeholders.

The programme will feature live sessions with ITS industry experts, as well as an exhibition and demonstrations of pioneering technology for smart, sustainable mobility.

This article was first published on The Explorer.