Free-Floating Electric Car Sharing as a Product-Service System Concept and Its Environmental Impacts
Author
Yunal, Mesut
Term
4. Term
Publication year
2020
Submitted on
2020-10-15
Pages
75
Abstract
This thesis examines free-floating electric car sharing as a Product-Service System (PSS) and assesses its environmental implications in the context of climate goals set by the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals. It starts from the premise that private car ownership leads to an oversupply of vehicles that remain unused most of the time, whereas shared electric vehicles can meet mobility needs more efficiently and without local air pollutants. The study is based on literature and policy reviews and applies a theoretical framework combining PSS, social practice perspectives, and the role of public authorities, alongside consideration of life cycle assessment comparisons across car types. The analysis outlines opportunities and barriers from user, infrastructure, business, and government viewpoints: a shared car can, according to figures cited in the thesis, replace roughly 7–11 private cars, and around 95% of cars are idle on average, indicating potential to reduce fleet size, improve urban air quality, and lower per-capita CO2. At the same time, the main challenge is shifting social norms tied to ownership and comfort and enabling close coordination among customers, customer service, manufacturers, and supportive regulation. The thesis also considers reuse and remanufacturing of vehicles and batteries, potential rebound effects, and the temporary erosion of trust in sharing services during COVID-19. Overall, it concludes that free-floating electric car sharing can contribute to more sustainable mobility when designed as a robust service, supported by policy and infrastructure, and accompanied by behavioral change.
Specialet undersøger free-floating elbilsdeling som et Product-Service System (PSS) og vurderer dets miljømæssige betydning i lyset af klimaudfordringer og målene i Parisaftalen og Verdensmålene. Udgangspunktet er, at privat bilejerskab skaber et overforbrug af biler, hvor mange står ubenyttede det meste af tiden, mens delte elbiler kan dække transportbehov mere effektivt og uden lokale emissioner. Studiet bygger på litteratur- og policystudier og anvender et teoretisk rammeværk med PSS-tilgangen, social praksis-perspektivet og myndigheders rolle, samt inddrager livscyklusvurderinger af forskellige biltyper. Analysen belyser muligheder og barrierer set fra brugere, infrastruktur, virksomheder og myndigheder: En delt bil kan ifølge kilder i specialet erstatte ca. 7–11 private biler, og omkring 95 % af biler er gennemsnitligt parkeret, hvilket peger på potentiale for færre biler, bedre luftkvalitet og lavere CO2 pr. indbygger. Samtidig er den største udfordring at ændre normer og præferencer knyttet til ejerskab og komfort, og at sikre et stærkt samspil mellem kunder, kundeservice, bilproducenter og regulering. Specialet diskuterer også genbrug og remanufacturing af biler og batterier, potentielle reboundeffekter samt COVID-19’s midlertidige påvirkning af tillid til delingstjenester. Samlet peger specialet på, at free-floating elbilsdeling kan bidrage til mere bæredygtig mobilitet, hvis det designes som en velfungerende service, understøttes af politik og infrastruktur og ledsages af adfærdsændringer.
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