Madrid’s Carsharing Vehicles Contribute to Improving Air Quality

 ZITY, the 100% electric carsharing service that operates in Madrid, is contributing to promoting sustainable mobility and reducing the number of emissions with its vehicles, thus making sure it meets the Community’s guidelines regarding air quality and protecting public health.  

The Ministry for the Ecological Transition has released the 2018 Spanish air quality assessment report, which presents the results that will be given to the European Commission. 

ZITY is joining the Ministry for the Ecological Transition’s petition that urges working in coordination to ensure air quality facing the infringement file opened against Spain by the European Commission due to the excessive levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) – a pollutant linked to cities with vehicular traffic – that are primarily concentrated in the city of Madrid and the metropolitan area of Barcelona. 

 The legislation distinguishes between two types of excessive levels: a time limit value (a concentration of more than 200 ug/m3 in one hour) and an annual limit value (an annual average of 40 ug/m3). 

 In 2018, the time limit value was exceeded in the city of Madrid, as well as in 2017. Last year in the Plaza Elíptica station alone, there were 33 instances of excessive levels with regard to the legal limit, an area which has the worst records of NO2 accumulation. As for the annual limit value (VLA), Madrid also exceeded it by 55 μg/m3. 

 For the 2017-2020 period, Madrid’s Air Quality and Climate Change Plan (PLAN A) already refers to sustainable mobility and its impact on air quality with concrete measures on shared mobility and low-emission vehicles. 

Sustainable mobility reduced pollution by 2,922 tons of NOx in this period. ZITY’s fleet, the 100% electric 650 Renault ZOE, has only emitted 0.575 tons for all its cars since the service started in December 2017, which makes these cars the best transportation alternative for getting around in Madrid. 

In Madrid, the carsharing sector is becoming the best alternative for decongesting the city of private cars, as it is estimated that the total carsharing fleet is eliminating 42,000 private cars, thus freeing up space on the streets by carsharing. 

Another favorable point is that since the advent of carsharing in Spain, the release of 3.45 tons of NOx has been avoided between the three electric carsharing companies (Car2go, Emov, and ZITY) currently operating in Madrid. 

It is estimated that 2,000 vehicles are operating in Madrid, half of which are electric, and that more than 400,000 users take advantage of this type of service. 

To help improve air quality assessment and thus reach optimal levels per Spanish regulations in this area, ZITY has proposed the Ten Commandments of Ecomobility: 

1. Congestion levels: The goal is reducing the number of cars entering the city center. This involves paying a toll at the entrance to central Madrid. This measure has been in effect in London since 2003.  
2. A low-emission zone that only affects large vans, minibuses, buses, and trucks from the city center to the M30. 
3. A toll with environmental criteria. Free entry for electric vehicles, as well as vehicles that are exempt based on the function they perform (ambulances, disabled vans, healthcare, etc.). More polluting vehicles, such as pre-Euro regulation gas vehicles or diesel vehicles under Euro 5 that haven’t installed a particulate filter, would be prohibited entry. This measure is applied in Milan with a general rate of €5 per day and reduced rates for residents and business cars. 
4. An environmental urban toll. Another type of toll, but its aim is to reward the least polluting vehicles. The measure does not differentiate between Euro standards, but between diesel or gasoline vehicles and hybrid technologies. Zero–emission vehicles may enter free of charge. The price depends on whether it is rush hour or not. This measure is already applied in Oslo, London, and Milan. The environmental urban toll helps pay for the social and environmental damage caused by driving. 
5. An emergency plan for pollution episodes. Entry is specifically prohibited for diesel vehicles. On those days, diesel vehicles would not be able to travel on the municipal highway network. This measure is applied in Oslo. 
6. Encouraging carsharing systems that complement places not serviced by public transport. 
7. Carsharing-enabled squares in the low-emission zone and the rest of the city. 
8. Intermodal transport cards that grant access to different public or private modes of transit on the same technological platform, encouraging the use of electric mobility in all of its varieties of transportation. 
9. Reinforcement of the public transport network. 
10. Smart mobility. This is using public transit optimally by applying technology and Intelligent Transportation Systems for fleet management, among other things, by local authorities. 

ZITY is calling on carsharing companies operating in the city and all participants and administrations to work together to design measures to order to ensure air quality. 

About ZITY

ZITY is a project that combines Ferrovial’s capabilities in urban services and in developing solutions with respect to their surroundings with Renault’s experience as a leader in sales for electric vehicles in Europe and as a top brand on the subject of sustainable mobility. ZITY’s per-minute vehicle rental service in the city of Madrid has a fleet of 650 Renault Zoes, 100% electric vehicles that have a fuel range of 300 road miles. By using the ZITY APP, you can rent vehicles by the minute and go in and out of the ZITY Zone. By activating Stand By mode, users can pause the rental anywhere, keeping the vehicle reserved to get back to the ZITY Zone and end their rental there. Learn more about ZITY at www.zitycar.es.