Clean Transport News Roundup (Public Transit Trips, Bicycling & Real Estate, Carsharing…)
Is the use of public transportation on the rise? How is bicycling changing the real estate market? What’s happening with carsharing in Brussels? How are EV incentives affecting BMWi sales in Germany? What does the market share for EVs need to be to meet global fuel economy standards? We’ve got all that, and more, in this clean transport news roundup.
[CleanTechnica isn’t the only Important Media site to cover clean transport news, and if you’re looking for more stories on electric mobility, bicycles, and other related issues, we’ve got them at sites such as Bikocity, Gas2, and EV Obsession.]
People are trippin’ on public transportation in the US, according to a new report.
The American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) First Quarter 2016 report shows 2.6 billion trips taken on public transportation in the U.S. – for those 3 months alone. This .4% increase compared to the previous year may be partially due to rises in employment, as 60% of commutes are for work. More employed people = more commutes = more commutes on public transportation.
Brussels sprouts a new carsharing service.
The DriveNow fleet being deployed in Brussels will total 300 vehicles — and will consist of the BMW 1-Series, the BMW 2-Series Active Tourer, and the MINI Clubman or Hatch — to be delayed across a 55 km2 portion of the capital.
The ‘burbs are losing their appeal to bikable and walkable locations.
Professionals are giving up the ‘burbs and highways and opting instead for their bikes to get to work. If the bike traffic jams weren’t proof enough, the change in the real estate market is. Developers are unloading their once popular, but now empty, suburban office spaces (even taking multi-million dollar losses for them), in order to switch over to more urban properties.
Germany sprung an EV incentive this spring, to good effect on BMW i3 sales.
Sales of the BMW i3 in the German home market have increased significantly since the German government decided this spring to offer a $4,400 incentive to buyers of electric cars. Previously, Germany was one of the few countries that lacked any EV incentives at all.
Portlandia sees a community-boosted street redesign for better bike blocks.
They took one of the city’s busier streets — Inner Northeast Broadway — and transformed it with a protected bike lane, a floating bus stop, extra sidewalk space, and marked crosswalks. The project was implemented by these groups with the help of local businesses and AARP, as it is as much a draw for community members who would like to see the street become more pedestrian-friendly, as it is for the businesses who would benefit from said pedestrians.
EVs have a long way to go and short time to get there.
Reaching the 16% market share figure that would close the emissions gap will obviously require automakers to radically rethink their electrification plans. But the auto industry is not the only sector that will face major changes.
Ecotricity president starts a fight over EV chargers in England.
“It’s an inappropriate use of a fast charger at motorway services. It is only the Mitsubishi that can plug into a fast charger – all of the others [PHEVs] just plug into a type-two or three-pin socket over a period of several hours.”
Have a tip for CleanTechnica? Want to advertise? Want to suggest a guest for our CleanTech Talk podcast? Contact us here.
Latest CleanTechnica.TV Video
CleanTechnica uses affiliate links. See our policy here.
