Cities100: Changwon - Incentives for a Shift to Electric Vehicles

Changwon is taking the next step towards sustainable transport by promoting the uptake of electric vehicles to combat local air pollution and carbon emissions.

The Challenge

Changwon is situated in a basin that exacerbates the negative effects of air pollution, and has experienced twice the global average temperature increase. After implementing South Korea's first bike-sharing system, the city now turns towards making cars more sustainable.

The Solution

Through public-private partnerships, various incentives, and new regulations, the city of Changwon aims to restore clean air and reduce CO2 emissions by replacing existing vehicles with environmentally friendly electric vehicles (EVs). The city has installed 31 quick-charge stations, and, from January 2017, a new regulation requires all new buildings to install EV charging facilities. The city plans to supply 3,000 mobile chargers to multi-unit houses and public facilities by the end of 2017, and add 50 additional public charging stations by 2018. The EV fleet rollout is part of the city's plan to become an 'Environmental Capital' by 2020. After first installing EVs for public use, the city now offers briefing sessions and trial rides for interested companies and individuals to promote and further disperse the technology. The goal is 5,500 EVs on the road, 1% of all registered vehicles, by 2020.

Health Benefits – The deployment of EVs will help to reduce levels of local air pollutants.

About Cities100

Presented by C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40), Sustainia and Realdania – Cities100 2017 showcases leading solutions to urban climate challenges in five sectors: Energy, Waste, Adaptation, Mitigation and Transportation.

Available online and in print, Cities100 provides stakeholders an accessible format to explore achievable solutions for climate action in cities, and will be a useful tool for relevant groups ranging from impact investors and development organizations, to mayors and city governments. You can access the full Cities100 2017 publication online here.