Newsletter

Drivers of Change

Cities suffer nowadays from congestion, air and noise pollution as well as the related health problems. For the better part, the car is responsible for many of these. Existing urban transport systems are based on old patterns and life-styles still focused on the use of fossil fuel and cars. However, these are no longer suited to our current challenges and needs.

Increasing fossil fuel prices, inefficient energy use and rising CO2 emissions call for the development of  innovative concepts to address global challenges in a smart way.

To do so, eBRIDGE envisions a zero-carbon transport system where electric vehicles are broadly expanded and play a major role in enhancing quality of life in cities and towns.

With this vision, eBRIDGE intends to contribute to the creation of liveable, vibrant and competitive cities with less pollution, fewer cars and congestion, less noise and more space to enjoy urban life.

Based on the introduction of electric vehicles in fleets, the eBRIDGE project gathers 7 pioneering cities, so-called Drivers of Change, that will be testing innovative solutions to make electric mobility a main part of their urban transport system.

According to their starting points and needs, these cities will apply actions to optimise operational fleet performance, test and launch solutions to increase the convenience and ease of use of car sharing offers, and raise awareness on the suitability of electric mobility for urban transport and commuting.

The 7 fleet schemes are located in Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy, United Kingdom and Portugal and aim at becoming real drivers of change in their communities and abroad.

 

Berlin

Berlin, the capital of Germany, is a metropolis with 3.3 million inhabitants. The city is transforming continuously and provides a breeding ground for research and innovation. A dense public transport network, low car ownership and an established car sharing landscape with more than 3,500 vehicles are the ideal starting point for new mobility concepts.

Austrian municipalities

In contrast to the global trend, car sharing in Austria remained static for the last 15 years. The introduction of electric mobility on the one hand and the entry of new market players on the other hand have reactivated the sector.

Vigo

Vigo is a big city situated in the province of Pontevedra, in the north-west coast of Spain. As a harbour city, Vigo plays a strategic role for the regional tourism and its solid transport infrastructure makes it a transport hub for the Galician region and the north of the neighboring country Portugal.

Valencia - Palma

The metropolitan area of Valencia, with 1.7 million inhabitants, is the 3rd largest urban agglomeration in Spain. In the last few years, the region has made substantial investments to improve its transportation system with a commitment to promoting the use of sustainable modes of transport.

Milan

Milan, located in the North of Italy, is the second largest Italian city and the capital of Lombardy region. The city covers an area of 182 km2 and has 1.35 million inhabitants. It will host EXPO 2015 and is expecting around 20 million visitors in a year; it is therefore planning a strengthening of its transport service system and has already introduced a Pollution Charge paid by car users entering in the city centre (the so called Area C). The Milan eBRIDGE pilot has been focused on the e-car sharing fleet located into the Area C.

Lisbon

Lisbon is the capital city of Portugal, with a resident population of 547,773 inhabitants. The city is situated on the right bank of River Tagus, in the heart of the country, being its political and major economic centre, presenting a cosmopolitan dynamic as a result of the hundreds of daily movements registered by its floating and resident population.

Carmarthenshire

Carmarthenshire is one of 22 Welsh administrative divisions (Counties). It is the third largest Welsh County by area, and the fourth largest by population (183,800 inhabitants).

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