This article is written by Rajeev YSR, director of Thunder Plus.The shift to electric cars has often been touted as the ultimate solution to modern urban transportation problems. Better air quality, reduced emissions, and less reliance on non-renewable energy resources can be seen as valid and necessary improvements in such cases, especially for fast-growing cities. But the truth is that there is a false assumption about what electric-based transportation will solve, namely traffic congestion. This is a myth. There is no way that electric cars will solve traffic problems because traffic is not about emissions but about efficiency.The essence of congestion is that it is the result of a mismatch between the volume of traffic and the limited nature of road space. A road space can only contain a certain amount of traffic regardless of how the vehicles that use the roads drive. The fact that cars run on petrol, diesel, or electric power will not change the physical space that the car takes up. A traffic jam that consists purely of Electric vehicles There is still a traffic jam. Only one that is relatively quiet and produces very little pollution.This becomes more apparent when considering the geometry of traffic jams. Each individual car typically uses 8 to 10 square meters of road surface area per trip, and more if proper spacing is maintained between cars. In densely populated cities, each car usually holds only one person. As a result, too much road space is being used for the movement of very few people. The use of electric vehicles will not change this situation. In fact, the problem may be exacerbated because, by making car use more environmentally friendly, the use of electric vehicles may lead to increased car ownership and use.Adding insult to injury is the proven effect of “stimulus demand”. The less expensive it is to travel by car, which is generally true for electric cars because of their low energy consumption and low maintenance, the more likely the car will be used. This efficiency trend quickly evaporates when demand increases enough to occupy all available roads. This process has happened repeatedly whenever new highways have been opened. Initially, additional capacity helps reduce congestion. But soon, more vehicles will enter the arena, and congestion levels will return to normal or worsen.The problem of congestion should be looked at from an alternative angle – one that focuses not on vehicles but on mobility. The best approaches are those that emphasize efficient mobility where fewer people use limited local resources. Efficient modes of transportation such as metros, buses, and suburban trains can easily transport thousands of people per hour compared to private cars, which use relatively large local resources. However, performance alone is not enough. Performance is only one factor, with reliability, frequency, and connectivity playing a major role in adoption. Without a reliable and consistent schedule, commuters will opt for private cars regardless of environmental concerns.It is also very important to address the issue of first and last mile connectivity which often hampers the use of public transport. Even the best-planned metro system fails if people have trouble accessing stations or getting to their destinations. This can be addressed by integrating easy connectivity systems through various modes of transportation such as electric rickshaws, bicycle sharing programs, and walkable cities.Another highly effective but highly political tool is demand management. Techniques such as congestion pricing, variable parking rates, and no-car zones directly affect commuters by imposing costs on the use of the road system, particularly during rush hour. Cities that have adopted these techniques have seen an undeniable trend toward carpooling, off-peak travel, and the use of public transportation. This is not just traffic management. It’s redefining incentives for better mobility.It is equally important to point out that urban design and land use can greatly influence how people move from one place to another. Long commutes are often the inevitable result of zoning that separates residential areas from commercial districts as well as areas used for production. However, a mixed-use strategy will lead to shorter commutes, as everything people need will be close enough, thus making walking and cycling a better choice.Technology comes into play, but not in the traditional sense of the term. The future of intelligent transportation does not depend on technological advances at the vehicle level, but on overall technological convergence. Advanced digital technology platforms that incorporate information about transport and traffic, as well as ride-sharing schemes, have the potential to greatly improve transport efficiency in the city. The focus here is not on private vehicles but on access to transport in general.Nothing understates the importance of EVs. These machines are essential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote clean air in cities. But this advantage is related to the environment. It has nothing to do with physical space. To assume that EVs are the solution to traffic problems would be to ignore the need for a fundamental restructuring of our transportation system.In short, an effective transformation of urban transportation will not focus on the power in our vehicles but on whether our systems are efficient or inefficient. Thriving cities will be those that emphasize throughput over speed, shared transportation over private transportation, and accessibility over mobility. In this context, EVs are only part of the equation.If all internal combustion engine vehicles are replaced by electric motor vehicles, surely the cities will become cleaner. However, they are not necessarily faster, less crowded, or more efficient. Crowding will continue unabated, essentially unchanged. The real problem, then, lies in rethinking transportation altogether.Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the original author and do not represent those of The Times Group or its employees.
