KAS - Mobility Transformation

Authors

Ass. iur. Giverny Cathrine Knezevic | Senior Research Associate, Institute for Climate Protection, Energy and Mobility

Timon Plass | Senior Research Associate, Institute for Climate Protection, Energy and Mobility

Executive Summary

1. Climate Legislation

International Level:
- Paris Agreement: Aim to limit global temperature rise to below 2°C.
European Level:
- Green Deal: 55% emission reduction target by 2030.
- Important tools: Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR) and Emissions Trading System (ETS).
National Level:
- Germany: Reduction of transport CO₂ emissions by 44–53% by 2030
- Germany struggles to meet EU transport sector targets.
- Climate Protection Act:
  - Goal of GHG neutrality by 2045.
  - Constitutional Court ruling: Stronger post-2030 measures
  - Reform of Climate Protection Act in 2024:
    - Focuses on total GHG emissions and flexible target achievement (no longer sector-specific emission limits)

2. Electromobility

Emission Reduction:
- 1 million public charging stations planned by 2030.
- Unified charging standards introduced.
EU Regulation:
- AFIR (Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation):
  - Requires fast-charging stations (minimum 150 kW) every 60 km on trans-European transport networks by 2025.
- Germany exceeds these requirements, providing double the mandated capacity.
Challenge (legal perspective):
- Limited competition and regional monopolies in electricity supply.

3. Autonomous Driving

Legislation in Germany:
- Established legal framework for SAE-Level 3 vehicles (2017).
- The Autonomous Driving Act (2021) enables SAE-Level 4 vehicles without drivers in defined operational areas with “Technical Supervision.”
- Autonomous Vehicle Approval and Operation Ordinance (2022): Establishes technical and procedural requirements.
EU Progress:
- EU Type Approval (2022): Enables autonomous vehicle approval for small-series production (up to 1,500 units).
Impact on Mobility Transformation:
- Enhances public transport with autonomous shuttles, robo-taxis, and automated on-demand services.
- Improves rural connectivity and reduces reliance on private vehicles.
- Decreases CO₂ emissions and accidents caused by human error.
- Cuts labor costs and offers cost-efficient transport.
Challenges:
- Lack of suitable large-scale SAE-Level 4 vehicles.
- Undefined technical supervision ratios for economic viability.
- No feasible business models yet.
- Absence of a comprehensive European standardization framework.

4. Smart Mobility

Legal Innovations:
- German Passenger Transportation Law now includes two new on-demand transportation services:
  - scheduled on-demand transport and bundled on-demand transport.
- Mobility Data Act:
  - Centralizes and standardizes transport data.
  - Influenced by European legislation.
Criticism:
- Excludes vehicle data.
- Raises public-private competition concerns.

Conclusion

Challenges: Need for consistent climate action, expansion of charging infrastructure and competition in the electromobility market.
Opportunities: Continued innovation in electromobility, autonomous driving, and smart mobility.
Core Insight: A unified legal and institutional framework is critical for successful mobility transformation.