The aim of the project is to improve Paris electric vehicles policy by suggesting improvements. Indeed the use of electric cars in Paris is low compared to some other cities in the world, whereas the city suffers from important pollution problems and that electric cars could be a good way to resolve them. The work is split in 3 parts, the description of the French and Parisian context, the study of 3 case studies in the world where electric cars are widely used to inspire policies improvements, and recommendations to improve current policies in Paris.
Recommendations
Infrastructures
The first recommendation is obviously to increase the number of charging stations in Paris and its suburbs.
Regarding the urbanism of this area, it seems difficult to develop charging infrastructures in streets as there’s not a lot of space. That’s why it seems necessary to focus on privately held car parks : parking facilities represent 50% of the Parisian offering, and is far more leverageable (compared to on-street car park). These equipments should also be encouraged in park-and-ride.
Parkings
As their costs are often a barrier, we recommend a close partnership with private parkings to create a special tariff for electric cars, which consists in only paying the battery charge and not the space itself (this being supported at 1/3 by ordinary cars drivers, by increasing parking tariffs, and at 2/3 by government subsidies). Moreover incentivize investments to develop charging points in those car parks should be set up : the aim is to have 20% of parking areas equipped with charging stations in both new and already existing parkings.
In addition we recommend to extend the free on-street parking for electric vehicles.
Financial incentives
It seems necessary to implement a stronger demand shock at long term to promote electric cars. We recommend then to :
Cut acquisition taxes : exemption of VAT (value added tax) for a new EV, of registration tax, and exemption of paying road tolls, for a 5 years period, extensible if results are positive.
Create a loan with a zero interest rate for the acquisition of a new EV.
Communication
Finally communication should not be underestimated and pieces of information about incentives made available to people at large scale. Advertising campaigns (i.e. television, advertising poster in streets or in the metro), the use of social networks or other tools to touch a broad public could be good ways to inform and inspire. In addition, a strong communication could also facilitate the development of a second hand market, which could facilitate the mass adoption of electric vehicles among all social classes.
It is also important to give access to people to an update database with a map of existing charging stations, their availability and their caracteristics in order to reassure people about the offer and help them organize their journeys.
Projections
Projections have been made to try to determine the potential future effects of the project on the evolution of electric vehicles, of electricy consumption and of pollution.
