Energy efficient urban and sub-urban public transport, complemented by shared mobility

Expected Outcome

This topic aims at supporting activities that are enabling or contributing to the Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission by accelerating the transition towards climate neutrality in cities. To this end, project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• Cities involved in this action advance in achieving their climate neutrality targets, reducing greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions by improving energy efficiency in urban and sub-urban public transport systems, complemented by urban mobility service car fleets - taxis, ride-hailing, car sharing and other active and shared mobility services.
• Comprehensive inventory and assessment of existing instruments and measures to foster electrification and attractiveness of urban and sub-urban public transport systems, urban mobility service car fleets and shared mobility, accompanied by targeted guidance for responsible authorities, operators and providers through integration of measures to improve energy efficiency in public transport and new shared mobility services.
• Upscaling of innovative and sustainable integrated mobility solutions, identifying gaps and shortcomings in existing systems and exchanging of best practices in the pilot sites involved in the action leading to a state-of-the-art of electrification and attractiveness of urban and suburban public transport with complementary urban mobility service car fleets and other active and shared mobility solutions.
• Enhanced assessment tools to quantify the direct benefits and associated co-benefits of decarbonised urban mobility service car fleets and of new shared mobility solutions complementary to public transport (including evaluation of impacts on modal shift, increased intermodal mobility and diverse user needs), the trade-off analysis between different solution and the recommendation of the most suitable implementation strategies, thereby helping to attract public investments.

Further progress towards achieving the targets set by relevant EU strategies and policies such as the Zero Pollution Action Plan[1], the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy[2], the new EU Urban Mobility Framework[3], the Decarbonise Corporate Fleets Communication[4] and the Energy Efficiency Directive[5].

Scope

Public transport is firmly at the centre of sustainable urban mobility policies at EU level and across Member States, in complementarity with active mobility and shared mobility services. However more needs to be done to make sure that urban and suburban public passenger transport, including coaches, and urban mobility service car fleets are energy efficient and attractive, contributing to climate neutrality targets as well as to cleaner and healthier urban and sub-urban environments.

In addition, an optimal integration of public transport with other/new shared mobility services can increase its uptake by offering services that are complementary, offering coherent solutions allowing interconnection between mass transit and “last-mile” solutions. Designing urban and sub-urban systems that are energy-efficient and attractive and are tailored for complementary mobility options requires different thinking: e.g. new approaches to integrated urban planning; changes to or upgrades of infrastructure and redistribution of public space; better use of data and technology solutions to enable effective multimodality, including leveraging AI solutions; targeted local policies to promote and integrate different mobility options, to increase connectivity especially in peri-urban, rural, and underserved areas throughout the city, extending beyond the city centre.

The objective of this topic is to explore and test solutions to increase energy-efficiency and attractiveness of urban and sub-urban public transport, urban mobility service car fleets, and other active and shared mobility solutions, in the pilot sites involved in the proposals, including by facilitating exchange of experiences and good practices and fostering learning at European level. The work should lead to an updated and comprehensive overview of the state of the art of the electrification of urban and sub-urban public transport systems, and urban mobility service car fleets and shared mobility solutions, including an assessment of gaps and shortcomings in existing systems.

The topic invites proposals from consortia including at least three cities from different Member States or Associated Countries along with at least three follower cities, ensuring a good geographical balance. Follower cities can be from the same Member State or Associated Country as the lead cities. At least one of the three lead cities must be one of the 112 cities selected for the EU Mission on Climate-neutral and Smart Cities. The consortium should bring together academia, responsible local authorities, public transport operators, urban mobility service car fleet providers, shared mobility service providers, and other relevant stakeholders. The goal is to collaboratively test and implement a mix of technological and non-technological innovations, along with policy-based measures, to enhance the energy efficiency and appeal of urban and suburban public transport in complementarity with urban mobility service car fleets and shared mobility solutions. An assessment of the overall ecological footprint, including impacts on air quality, of the tested solutions should also be carried out, taking into account the whole value chain and possible rebound effects.

From the lessons learnt through the testing of solutions, recommendations and guidance on optimal integration of energy efficient urban and suburban public transport with urban mobility service car fleets, active and shared mobility solutions should be provided for local authorities and public transport operators. Recommendations and measures could cover e.g. newly-emerging technologies and soft measures such as marketing, real time information and awareness raising campaigns and co-creation of user-oriented and environmentally sustainable solutions - with particular regard to the specific needs of diverse user groups. Proposals could test the establishment of new operating and business models. Proposals may also include take-up and replication actions, research activities, as well as tools to support local planning and policy making. To facilitate replication, upscaling and up-taking of the generated outcomes and to foster capacity building/upskilling of public authorities, local actors and communities, actions should engage in outreach, communication, dissemination and training activities.

This topic requires the effective contribution of SSH disciplines and the involvement of SSH experts, institutions as well as the inclusion of relevant SSH expertise, in order to produce meaningful and significant effects enhancing the societal impact of the related research activities.

Collaboration with the Cities Mission Platform is essential and should take place through the CIVITAS initiative[6]. Proposals should ensure that appropriate provisions for activities and resources aimed at enforcing clustering activities and cooperation with the Cities Mission Platform and the CIVITAS initiative are included in the work-plan[7]. Proposals should plan for an active collaboration amongst the projects selected under this topic - for dissemination, evaluation and coordination - facilitated by and within the CIVITAS initiative.

Technology Readiness Level - Technology readiness level expected from completed projects

Activities are expected to achieve TRL 7-8 by the end of the project - see General Annex B.

[1] COM(2021) 400 final

[2] COM(2020) 789 final

[3] COM(2021)811

[4] COM(2025) 96 final

[5] DIRECTIVE (EU) 2023/1791 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 13 September 2023 on energy efficiency and amending Regulation (EU) 2023/955

[6] https://civitas.eu/

[7] The CIVITAS initiative should establish, through a collaboration agreement set up together with the Cities Mission Platform, clear links with the Mission portfolio for synergies and complementarities.