The Potential Impacts of Electric Vehicles on Urban Air Quality in Shanghai City

The Shanghai government has outlined plans for the new vehicles used for the public transportation, rental, sanitation, postal, and intra-city freight to be completely powered by electricity by 2020. This paper analyzed the characteristics of vehicle emissions in Shanghai in the past five years. The potential reduction in road traffic related emissions due to the promotion and application of electric vehicle in Shanghai was evaluated. The potential reduction was quantified by vehicular emissions. The vehicular emissions inventories are calculated by the COPERT IV model under the different scenarios, of which the results indicate that promoting electric vehicles is the efficient measure to control all road traffic related emissions and improve urban air quality. The results also provided basis and support for making policies to promote and manage electric vehicles.

Automated summary

The Shanghai government aims to have all new public transportation, rental, sanitation, postal, and intra-city freight vehicles powered by electricity by 2020, in order to reduce vehicle emissions. Analysis of vehicle emissions in Shanghai over the past five years was conducted, evaluating the potential reduction in road traffic related emissions through the promotion of electric vehicles. Results from the COPERT IV model indicate that promoting electric vehicles is an efficient measure to control road traffic related emissions and improve urban air quality, providing a basis for policies promoting and managing electric vehicles.