Transportation is an essential aspect of our daily lives. We need transportation to move from one place to another, whether it’s for work, leisure or education. However, the mode of transportation has been changing rapidly over the years. With the growth and development of technology, the world is moving towards cleaner, more efficient, and reliable transportation systems. One such advancement is the advent of electric cars, which are expected to shape the future of public transportation models such as Transportation as a Service (TaaS).
What is TaaS?
Transportation as a Service (TaaS) is an emerging concept in which consumers do not need to own vehicles. Instead, they use electric cars that are owned by an operator of a fleet of vehicles. TaaS incorporates ride-sharing services, car-sharing services and other alternatives to personal vehicle ownership. For instance, consumers can choose to subscribe to a monthly package for transportation service or pay as they use.
Electric vehicles and TaaS
Electric vehicles (EVs) have gained popularity in recent years due to their low environmental impact, lower operating costs, and reduced noise pollution. The mass adoption of EVs could provide several benefits for the TaaS model. The key reason behind this is that electric vehicles are well suited for shared mobility services. They are increasingly becoming more affordable as battery technology continues to improve, and production costs reduce. EVs can also be easily centralized and monitored, ensuring that the fleet owner has maximum control over the vehicles’ usage.
Benefits of an Electric Vehicle Fleet for TaaS
Environmental Benefits
Electric vehicles offer significant environmental benefits over traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. EVs produce 60% less carbon emissions than their ICE counterparts on average. Due to the limited range of EVs on a single charge, centralized charging points could reduce the environmental impact of TaaS further.
Cost of Ownership
The cost of owning and operating an electric car is becoming increasingly competitive with ICE vehicles. Electric cars tend to have lower maintenance costs because they have fewer moving parts, and there’s no need for oil changes and other routine engine maintenance. Electric vehicles are also cheaper to run because their charging costs are lower than the cost of petrol or diesel.
Noise Pollution Reduction
Noise pollution reduction is another significant benefit of electric vehicles. EVs have quieter engines than ICE vehicles, reducing noise pollution significantly. With the centralized control of fleets, TaaS services can have a noiseless impact on urban areas.
Challenges to the implementation of EVs in TaaS
While the advantages of using EVs in TaaS are many, several challenges need attention. These include:
Battery Charging and Range
Battery charging and range remain two of the most significant challenges for EV implementation in TaaS. Currently, charging times can last up to an hour. However, with the development of rapid charging technology and additional charging infrastructure, the charging times should reduce significantly. Allowing for operational efficiencies, these challenges can be managed centrally, reducing the time taken to charge the vehicles.
Charging Infrastructure
The widespread distribution of charging infrastructure is critical to ensuring widespread EV adoption. Charging points must be conveniently located, fast to charge, and affordable. The availability of charging infrastructure needs to be ensured to allow for connecting remote areas with the transportation service.
Customer Education
To ensure the maximum potential of EVs in transportation services such as TaaS, customers need to be aware of the benefits of EVs, the charging process, and the TaaS model. Lack of customer awareness could lead to a lack of demand for EVs, and substantial investments could be lost.
Conclusion
The future of transport is electric and shared. A significant proportion of the world’s fleet of cars will be electric, as TaaS continues to gain popularity. Fleet managers and transport providers who adopt EVs in TaaS systems will reap the benefits of environmentally friendly, cost-saving and noiseless operations. The challenges of EV adoption in TaaS are surmountable with a concentrated and centralized approach, ensuring the benefits of EVs are exploited to their maximum.