No. C 566 January 2021 Zero-emission vehicles and zones in Nordic cities Promotion, instruments and effects Anders Roth, Jenny von Bahr, Henrik Kloo, Tomas Wisell Author: Anders Roth, Jenny von Bahr, Henrik Kloo, Tomas Wisell Reviewer: Mats-Ola Larsson Funded by: Swedish Energy Agency Photographer: Mats-Ola Larsson. Cover photo: Public parking with electric charging, central Oslo, Norway (left) and end point charging, urban bus in public transport, Gothenburg, Sweden (right) Report number C 566 ISBN 978-91-7883-242-2 Edition Only available as PDF for individual printing © IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute 2021 IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute Ltd. P.O Box 210 60, S-100 31 Stockholm, Sweden Phone +46-(0)10-7886500 // www.ivl.se This report has been reviewed and approved in accordance with IVL´s audited and approved management system. Summary This study has been commissioned by the Swedish Energy Agency. It has been financed by the Nordic Council of Ministers and has been carried out under the project Sustainable Nordic cities with a focus on climate-smart mobility. The foremost purpose of this study has been to provide recommendations to Nordic cities about how zero-emission vehicles can be promoted in harmony with social and environmental constraints, as well as economically sustainable mobility and accessibility considerations. Data collection and analysis have been carried out via a review of relevant literature. In addition, interviews with representatives, researchers and experts were held in all the Nordic countries. This included visits to three key Nordic cities and a workshop with experts. Our results indicate that the Nordic countries should avoid using tax revenue to subsidize the ownership and utilization of zero-emission cars on too large a scale or over too long a period. Policies designed to promote travel by public transport and bicycles may be adversely affected if these subsidies favour car ownership and driving becomes more economically advantageous. Sometime during the next years, when electric vehicle introduction has reached between 70 - 90 per cent of new car sales in a Nordic country, there are good reasons to base the national vehicle taxation on kilometres driven rather than on fuel consumption. This tax can, for example, be designed to counteract congestion in cities. Generally, to ramp up the number of zero-emission vehicles, cities should utilize their various formal and informal roles as authorities, procurers and facilitators. The Nordic cities should be given greater legislative possibilities to reward the use of zero-emission vehicles. This legislation may include the possibility of introducing some form of environmental zone or levying traffic fees in urban areas, and also the ability to set vehicle categories in zero-emission zones that are governed by local rules. The ability to regulate the level of traffic fees, and reserve dedicated parking spaces for carpool use are important also. Cities are advised to put together packages deploying a raft of instruments that mutually reinforce one another. As a basic package, most cities should work with improved conditions for zero-emission vehicles as charging and / or tank infrastructure, requirements for zero-emission vehicles in public procurement of vehicles and services, complementary measures that increase the supply and attractiveness of alternatives to the car, as well as measures that promote sustainable mobility and urban development independent of vehicle technology. It is also important that improved charging capabilities for zero-emission vehicles go hand in hand with an environmentally friendly parking policy. Increased demand for zero-emission vehicle charging points will then be a good reason to review the city´s parking policy. Under the right conditions ambitious cities can implement a more comprehensive policy package with a combination of various forms of zero emission zones or fee systems. Zones and fee systems can be designed to take conventional vehicles off the roads altogether, or at the very least make them more expensive to use. To fully implement these measures, cities must have a high proportion of zero-emission vehicles in the fleet as well as strengthening possibilities for residents to move around freely without having to own a car. In the choice between zone and fee systems, the latter is preferred due to lower adjustment costs and a lesser impact on accessibility for large groups of road users than that inflicted by the introduction of zones. Overall, the assessment is that cities can play an essential role in the transition to a climate-neutral transport sector. As climate goals are tightened, it will also become increasingly important that cities, countries and the EU speed up their ambitions and actions. Contents Summary ................................................................................................................................ 3 1 Mission ............................................................................................................................ 7 2 Method ........................................................................................................................... 8 Evaluation aspects .......................................................................................................................... 9 Synthesis ......................................................................................................................................... 9 3 Defining zero-emission vehicles ................................................................................... 10 4 Currently deployed instruments in the Nordic countries and cities ............................ 12 European vehicle regulations ....................................................................................................... 12 Policy instruments at national level.............................................................................................. 12 Policy instruments at city level ..................................................................................................... 14 5 Experiences gained from current policy instruments in Nordic cities ......................... 17 Heavy vehicle emission zones ....................................................................................................... 17 Passenger car emission zones ....................................................................................................... 18 Traffic fees .................................................................................................................................... 19 Fees versus zones ......................................................................................................................... 21 Parking benefits and access to bus lanes ..................................................................................... 21 Expanded charging infrastructure ................................................................................................ 22 6 Recommendations to the national level ...................................................................... 25 7 Recommendations to the city level .............................................................................. 27 Environmental zone for zero-emission vehicles ........................................................................... 27 Differentiated traffic fees ........................................................................................................... 30 Differentiated parking fees ........................................................................................................... 32 Access to public transport lanes ................................................................................................... 32 Support for developing charging infrastructure and hydrogen filling stations ............................ 33 Municipal procurement ................................................................................................................ 35 Complementary measures to support sustainable mobility ........................................................ 36 8 Policy package proposals for Nordic cities ................................................................... 40 The Basic policy package............................................................................................................... 42 The Selective zone policy package ................................................................................................ 43 The Large zone policy package ..................................................................................................... 44 The Selective fees policy package ................................................................................................. 47 The Comprehensive fee policy package ....................................................................................... 49 Adaptation to Nordic conditions and examples ........................................................................... 50 9 Concluding remarks ...................................................................................................... 57 Appendix – An introduction ................................................................................................. 59 Appendix 1. Environmental zones and zero-emission zones .............................................. 60 Appendix 2. Traffic fees ......................................................................................................