Dockless E-Scooter: A Green Solution for Mobility? Comparative Case Study between Dockless E-Scooters, Displaced Transport, and Personal E-Scooters
Open Access
- 27 February 2020
- journal article
- research article
- Published by MDPI AG in Sustainability
- Vol. 12 (5), 1803
- https://doi.org/10.3390/su12051803
Abstract
This study applies a life cycle assessment (LCA) to the shared dockless standing e-scooter system that is established in Brussels. The results are given for four impact categories: global warming potential (GWP), particulate matter formation, mineral resource, and fossil resource scarcity. Regarding GWP, the use of the shared e-scooters in the current system causes 131 g of CO2-eq. per passenger-kilometer while the mode of transportation displaced has an impact of 110 g of CO2-eq. Thus, at present, the use of e-scooters shows a higher impact than the transportation modes they replace. The high results for the shared e-scooter, in terms of GWP, are mainly caused by the short lifespan of the shared e-scooter. Nevertheless, as the market further matures, the lifespan of e-scooters could increase and the impact per kilometer travelled could decrease accordingly. Regarding the use of the personal e-scooter, the LCA results show an impact of around 67 g of CO2-eq. This study quantifies the LC impacts of the current situation based on local, ‘real-life’ data. However, potential changes on soft mobility patterns induced by the use-oriented product-service system (PSS), such as a shared e-scooter system, could not be quantified.Keywords
This publication has 27 references indexed in Scilit:
- Reinterpreting the LCA Standard Procedure for PSSProcedia CIRP, 2017
- Competitiveness and sustainability effects of cars and their business models in Swedish small town regionsJournal of Cleaner Production, 2017
- Product service system: A conceptual framework from a systematic reviewJournal of Cleaner Production, 2016
- PRODUCT-SERVICE SYSTEMS AS SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVES TO MOBILITY: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF TWO BIKE-SHARING SYSTEMSBrazilian Journal of Operations & Production Management, 2016
- Sustainability Factors for PSS Business ModelsProcedia CIRP, 2016
- Product services for a resource-efficient and circular economy – a reviewJournal of Cleaner Production, 2015
- An approach to assessing sustainable product-service systemsJournal of Cleaner Production, 2015
- State-of-the-art in product-service systemsProceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part B: Journal of Engineering Manufacture, 2007
- Eight types of product–service system: eight ways to sustainability? Experiences from SusProNetBusiness Strategy and the Environment, 2004
- Clarifying the concept of product–service systemJournal of Cleaner Production, 2002