By Jean-Pierre ORFEUIL

Professor emeritus, University of Paris East and Institute for Cities in Movement, Paris

Abstract

“Usual” trips made in a car account for three-quarters of traffic and CO2 emissions. Public transit, though frequently proposed as a means for reducing this impact, has limitations: for users, the time spent in transportation is often less than attractive and, for public authorities, the ever increasing costs of funding transit systems. For these reasons, the proposal is made to evaluate the feasibility of an option based on “urban-designed” private vehicles (having one or two seats, weighing less than 300 kg and running on electricity at a speed limited to 50-70 km/hr. It meets city-dwellers’ expectations, improves urban life and leaves a much smaller carbon footprint. Backing this form of transport calls for coordination in public policy at various scales and in different sectors.