Abstract

On-road electric vehicle recharging infrastructure is essential in the transformation of electric vehicles into a practical transportation option. This study focuses upon assessing the need for recharging infrastructure for long distance travel for a large market share of electric vehicles, finding the optimal infrastructure deployment, and understanding the economic, social and environmental costs and benefits associated with the optimal infrastructure deployment. The analysis considers quick-charging and battery-switching as plausible recharging technologies. Results show: (i) the promotion of electric vehicles is beneficial when considering economic costs and benefits for operators and users, tax redistribution, and environmental externalities, even with a relatively modest market share; (ii) the number of required recharging stations for satisfaction of the travel demand is at the magnitude of 1–2% of the current gasoline infrastructure, under the assumption of wide availability of off-road recharging at home and the workplace; (iii) the optimal deployment of the recharging stations is along the main national highways outside of urban conurbations, under the assumption of wide availability of home recharging; (iv) the battery-switching technology is far more attractive to the consumer than the quick-charging technology for long-distance travel requiring more than one recharging visit. Document type: Part of book or chapter of book

Abstract

Beirut, the capital city of Lebanon, faces huge traffic congestion, the cost of which is estimated to be more than 2 percent of the city's gross regional product. Effective policies are needed, based on weighing their overall economic cost and benefit to society. This study developed an empirical model based on microeconomic theory, accounting for production and consumption behavior related to transportation in the Greater Beirut Area, to simulate various policy combinations. A key finding of the study is that individual supply-side policies, such as the expansion of roads or introduction of a bus rapid transit system, are quite effective at reducing traffic congestion while increasing economic output and welfare. They also account for most of the benefits from implementing policy packages with supply- and demand-side measures. The introduction of bus rapid transit with expansion of the road system to feed the bus rapid transit system reduces congestion by about 16 percent and congestion costs by more than 50 percent. This would increase Beirut's gross regional product by roughly 2 percent, and the average social welfare of the residents of Beirut by 4 percent. In contrast, demand-side instruments, implemented alone, lower gross regional product and welfare with limited effects on congestion. Document type: Book