Understanding the Public Mobility to Innovate a Carbon-Neutral Transport System for the Twin Cities in Pakistan

Abstract

The transportation industry in Pakistan is growing rapidly which in turn has raised the cost of energy imports, usage of petroleum products, air pollution, and traffic congestion. It is perturbing that the world is too much dependent on fossil fuels to meet its energy requirements. To address any nation's energy, economic, and environmental problems, electrification of road transportation appears to be a game-changer. This study aims to help implement a green transportation system in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. This study compares the financial and environmental costs of using electric, diesel, and solar buses. It also assesses the viability of using suitable electric vehicles (EVs) for Islamabad and Rawalpindi’s public transit systems and considers several technological choices. Electric vehicles (EVs) provide a solution to these problems. Hence, switching from fossil fuel vehicles (FFVs) to EVs is a necessary step in decarbonizing the country's transportation sector and reversing its dire socioeconomic situation. In this study, applied quantitative and qualitative analysis forms the foundation of the primary research design as we examine the energy usage and consumption in Plug-In Electric Vehicles (PEVs) for the current private services in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. This paper evaluates socio-environmental and financial comparisons among FFVs, EVs, and Solar buses. The study's findings indicate that solar buses use only 18% energy compared to electric buses, which use 30%, while diesel buses use 52% for the same seating capacity and distance covered. However, batteries-powered buses are currently more expensive than diesel buses. Although it costs more than diesel buses, using electric and solar buses is beneficial for both humans and the environment