When you power green vehicles, every day is considered Earth Day. But it certainly helps to have an annual global event that puts the spotlight on bettering our planet.
At Joyride, we’re committed to doing just that, with a pledge to fund the planting of one new tree for every 10 rides taken on our platform on April 22, also known as Earth Day. We have operators live on our software platform in 200+ global markets, amounting to an impactful campaign of tree planting driven by thousands of riders.
Trees are key to combating climate change and deforestation. Forests play an important role in the global carbon cycle by soaking up huge amounts of carbon dioxide that would otherwise circulate in the atmosphere. Interestingly, an MIT report finds that it would take 640 trees per person to account for all American carbon footprint emissions, which adds up to more than 200 billion trees.
Trees are a start, but we’re all in it for the long haul.
Part of reducing our carbon footprint involves adopting greener transportation options. A typical gas-fueled passenger vehicle emits roughly 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. Climate scientists say vehicle electrification is one of the best ways to reduce planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, and they’re also more cost-effective in the longer term.
Green vehicles are powered by alternative fuel types and different technologies, including electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, hydrogen vehicles, clean ethanol vehicles, natural gas vehicles and clean diesel vehicles, to name a few.
As soon as more gas-guzzling vehicles continue to be replaced by bikes, scooters, mopeds and other electric vehicles, the sooner we will reach the global goal of keeping the Earth’s temperature below two degrees.
So, as we approach Earth Day 2023, we’re checking in on the power of green vehicles – and how electric powered hardware is changing transportation – with a roundup of some pretty moving current stats:
Green vehicles, now and in the future
- In the US, electric car sales are ramping up, with 800,000 of them sold last year alone — an increase of 65% from 2021.
- In France, 43% of all vehicles bought in 2022 were bikes, e-bikes and cargo bikes.
- Research conducted by Pedal & Post, a UK bicycle delivery service, shows that replacing delivery vans with cargo bikes for short trips could save England £4.25B a year in health and environmental costs.
- One of the most popular forms of EVs in India and Asia is the rickshaw. These three-wheeled passenger vehicles are much cheaper than electric cars, and one study found that they can decrease carbon emissions by three to six tons per year.
- In terms of public transit, Lancaster, CA, and Clemson, SC, are currently leading the way. These two cities have city bus fleets that include 63% and 55% of EVs, respectively.
- The Biden administration recently announced $233 million in grants for rail projects. This measure could result in large-scale transit projects powered by electricity.
- School districts in 38 US states have also embraced electrification, with 12,000 electric buses expected to hit the road this year.
- A report from the US Environmental Defense Fund estimates that if all cars on the road were electric, global CO2 emissions would be reduced by about 1.8 billion tons per year by 2035.
- E-scooters produce zero emissions during operation, which makes them an attractive option for those looking to reduce their carbon footprint. A study by the North Carolina State University found that electric scooters produce 202 grams of CO2 emissions per passenger mile, which is significantly lower than traditional cars and even public transit.
- E-scooters require electricity to charge, which can come from both renewable and non-renewable sources. However, the amount of energy required to charge an e-scooter remains much lower than that needed to power a car, making them a more energy-efficient option.
- Like other green vehicles, e-scooters require batteries for operation. The production of these batteries can have environmental impacts, including the extraction of raw materials and energy consumption. However, the size of e-scooter batteries is relatively small, which makes their production less impactful than that of larger vehicle batteries.
- According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average EV produces 4,500 pounds of CO2 emissions per year compared to the average gasoline-powered vehicle, which produces 11,435 pounds of CO2 emissions per year.
- Governments and private companies are investing in charging networks to boost EV adoption. According to the IEA, there were over one million public charging points globally at the end of 2020, and this number is expected to grow to 40 million by 2030.
- According to a report by Zion Market Research, the global electric moped market size was valued at $14.45 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.9% from 2021 to 2028.
- In China, electric mopeds make up the majority of the country’s two-wheeled electric vehicle market.
- According to a report by QYResearch, sales of electric mopeds in China are expected to reach 20.6 million units by 2025, driven by favorable government policies and increasing demand for sustainable transportation options.
- A report by QYResearch finds sales of e-bikes in China reached 33.8 million units in 2020, accounting for over 90% of the global e-bike market. The report also states that e-bikes are becoming increasingly popular in other Asian countries, including Japan, South Korea, and India.
- The European Cyclists’ Federation says e-bikes emit approximately 10 to 20 times less CO2 per kilometer traveled compared to cars, depending on the source of electricity used to power the e-bike. Plus, e-bikes emit no harmful pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) or particulate matter (PM) that are associated with internal combustion engine vehicles.
Electric vehicles at your fingertips
The benefits of green vehicles are in plain sight. Obstacles such as charging infrastructure and widespread access are being combated daily by new government regulations and subsidies, which will in turn impact global adoption of these powerful vehicles.
At Joyride Garage, we have exclusive inventory of commercial grade top-of-the-line electric vehicles that are ready for purchase at the industry’s lowest prices. The lineup of vehicles is inspiring, as is the change they are bringing. Because the sooner we can get more hands behind the wheels of electrified transportation, the sooner the planet will thank us for it.
