The project “BSR Electric” fosters e-mobility solutions in urban areas in the Baltic Sea Region

Status: Realized projects

The common challenge of all partner countries are the EU’s ambitious targets for the reduction of transport sector emissions and the aim to phase out conventionally fuelled vehicles in urban transport by 2050. E-vehicles produce significantly less CO2 and noise emissions and are therefore the ideal means of transport in an urban context given the relatively short distances.

While national promotion strategies for e-mobility have primarily focused on individual car use, other potential applications have received less attention. These include:

• Electric delivery vans and trucks that could greatly reduce the CO2 and noise emissions of the urban logistics sector
• Urban companies and public authorities operating large fleets of cars, e.g., for maintenance workers, that could be replaced by e-vehicles
• E-bikes (rented/owned) that can be used by commuters travel the last mile to their workplace or for business trips in inner cities
• E-buses to make public transport even more environmentally friendly if routes, charging infrastructure and operational routines are planned and designed effectively
• E-scooters to increase the accessibility of public places such as cemeteries and hospitals for people with impaired mobility, thereby strengthening social inclusion
• Electric ferries and water taxis to complement public transport systems in the many coastal cities of the Baltic Sea Region.

Experience with practical implementation of these multiple applications of e-mobility solutions in BSR cities is still limited. The project partners first explored the technical state-of-the-art, status quo, and potentials of e-mobility in the partner regions. This preparatory phase was followed by demonstration actions in the above-named themes in the involved cities, each of which resulted in transferable concepts and recommendations.

Through the establishment of mutual learning partnerships and the organization of webinars, study visits, and capacity-building seminars, the consortium ensured a constant exchange of experience and know-how between the involved cities and with experts from cities beyond the partnership. The exchange fed into theme-specific recommendations, an online learning module for urban transport stakeholders, and a “Baltic Sea Region Roadmap for Urban E-Mobility.