Can the development of electric buses bring economic and environmental benefits

Abstract

The transition of urban buses to e-buses can be a significant contribution to the ecological construction of cities. Understanding the ecological and economic consequences of the transition is challenging. In this paper, Copenhagen is chosen as a case study, and specific parameters for the city are established through the model to assess the impact of the electric bus transformation program. Traditional diesel buses (Yutong C12) and electric buses (BYD-K19) are examined using the Eco-efficiency Model. Additionally, harmful gas emissions, such as sulfide, are quantitatively analyzed, and the daily production of harmful gases by traditional diesel buses and electric buses is calculated. In the second part, Economic model is grounded in the actual circumstances of the bus fleet, considering various factors such as initial costs, maintenance costs, energy costs, and external investments. This comprehensive evaluation assesses the feasibility of the transformation plan and is applied in a selected city. By simulating and comparing the cost consumption of traditional fuel buses and electric buses over the past 10 years, it was found that electric buses have high long-term economic benefits, providing a solid foundation for informed decision-making by urban traffic management departments. In the third part, through the sensitivity analysis of the influence of external investment, we find that when external investment is approximately $15,000 per E-bus, the economic benefits of electric buses and fuel buses are comparable over time. Finally, the calculation results of the model are clearly shown in the form of charts, including the change trend of maintenance cost and external investment in 10 years. These results provide comprehensive data support for urban transportation authorities to help them better develop and adjust electric bus transformation plans to promote urban public transportation towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly direction.