The transport sector is responsible for 24% of CO2 emissions from fuel combustion globally, with road transport accounting for almost three-fourths of total transport emissions in 2018. Plans to reduce these emissions increasingly rely on large-scale transportation electrification. In parallel, the energy sector is integrating renewable generation and energy storage systems at exponential rates. 

Electric vehicles (EVs) present an opportunity to contribute to both transportation and energy transformations through vehicle-grid integration solutions, more equitable access to zero-emission fuels and expanded options for sustainable transit and shared mobility.

WRI’s Electric Mobility team engages in eight major focus areas of the transportation electrification ecosystem:

Learn more about WRI's Electric Mobility Initiative

Download brochure

1. Clean Energy, Resilience and EVs

Mass EV adoption will come with significant new power demand. WRI supports key industry stakeholders in enabling clean energy integration through vehicle-to-grid integration approaches. This includes coordination with electric utilities, regulators, building managers and end users to ensure resilient and reliable power for new electric fleets.

2. Roadmapping and Policy Interventions

As the transportation sector decarbonizes, policymakers need to know what it takes for EVs and other zero-emission technologies to replace conventional vehicle fleets. WRI supports roadmap development, economic analysis and modeling to assess the long-term impact of different EV adoption scenarios and policy recommendations to achieve them.

3. Fleet Electrification

With a focus on electrifying shared and high-mileage fleets, WRI helps governments and businesses scale up electrification. We work with cities and companies and provide technical assistance to support the development of EV financing mechanisms, utility engagement, analysis and planning documentation.

4. Sustainable E-Mobility

We work to ensure EVs are part of an integrated, sustainable and equitable transportation system through the “Avoid-Shift-Improve” framework to reduce private vehicle use, improve air quality and enhance road safety.

5. Integrated Climate Planning

WRI helps cities identify decarbonization opportunities in all sectors, including transportation, which represents a large share of city emissions. WRI encourages modal shifts and using e-mobility to improve the economics of public transportation and other mode shares.

6. Equitable Transition

To ensure that everyone benefits from the e-mobility transition, equity is a large component of our work. WRI works closely with allies to amplify the voices of historically marginalized and underrepresented communities, ensure policies and regulations are fair and equitable, charging infrastructure and transportation options are low cost and reach underserved communities, and there is a just transition for impacted fossil-fuel based industries and staff.

7. Consumer Behavior

Through WRI’s behavioral research by our Living Lab for Equitable Climate Action, we work to understand how to optimize EV consumer behavior including purchasing and charging decisions. Consumer behavior is a yet-untapped opportunity to further increase EV emissions benefits.

8. Sustainable Materials

Building on WRI’s mining, water and land use work, we support the sustainable and ethical sourcing of materials being used for the e-mobility transition and support responsible recycling and re-use efforts of ensure discarded materials. We work closely with governments, manufacturers and supply chain entities to encourage all opportunities to minimize further ecological damage.

Within each of these areas, WRI works to ensure that EV deployment reduces emissions, expands access and improves quality of life across both the mobility and energy sectors.