Systems Perspectives on Electromobility 2013

The transportation of goods and people is at the heart of the industrial society.Yet transportation relies heavily upon oil – a scarce fossil fuel that contributes toclimate change and local air pollution. The term ‘electromobility’ refers to an alternativetransportation system based on vehicles propelled by electricity. Electromobilityis increasingly seen as favourable in that it could circumvent problems relatedto both oil and biofuels whilst meeting our mobility needs and desires. However,the virtue of electromobility is not uncontested and a range of issues come to thefore. Are electric vehicles energy efficient? Are they safe? How much greenhousegas is emitted in the production of electricity and advanced vehicle components?Will battery production lead to new resource problems? Will electromobilitypromote or hinder the diffusion of renewable energy? Will driving patterns shapeor be shaped by new types of vehicles? Is electromobility suitable for cars but notfreight transport? How is technical knowledge for electromobility produced andby whom? Is the automotive industry up to the challenge? Is there a need for newbusiness models and governmental policy support (or both) to stimulate marketdemand for electric vehicles?There is no simple answer to these questions. However, studying electromobilityfrom different systems perspectives can help to resolve these complex issues.Systems Perspectives on Electromobility 2013 is composed of fifteen chaptersthat address different topics related to the immensely important issue of whether– and to what extent – our transport systems can and should be energised byelectricity. The book is far from complete, but we hope it may be a useful startingpoint for future discussions and debates