Voi - Europe’s leading micromobility operator - is announcing the launch of an environmental Impact Dashboard in the Voi app to inform riders about the CO2 emissions and air quality impact of their journeys. The dashboard is designed to raise awareness about the environmental impact of different mobility choices and allow riders to make more sustainable and informed transport choices.
Voi - Impact Dashboard. Image Credit: Voi
The Impact Dashboard will display the estimated carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions riders have avoided through opting for carbon neutral e-scooters or e-bikes for their accumulated journeys. This data will take into account the emissions produced across the full life cycle of vehicles from production to end-of-life recycling. According to Voi’s Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) conducted by EY, the average Voi scooter ride emits 29g CO2 equivalent per passenger-km of life cycle emissions compared with 184 g per passenger-km emitted by a passenger car. Voi’s current life cycle emissions have been reduced drastically over the past three years, notably thanks to extending vehicle lifespan from several months to five years and scaling its net-zero operations.
In addition, the dashboard will display the rider’s average impact on air quality in grams of PM2.5 avoided. PM2.5 is the term for particulate matter with a diameter of fewer than 2.5 microns that results from partially combusted fuel. Exposure to PM2.5 caused over 400,000 deaths in Europe alone in 2018, and it is ranked as the fifth greatest risk factor for global mortality.
The environmental calculator on which the dashboard is built was verified by transport modellers at University College London’s MaaS Lab. It uses a combination of data including: each user’s ride data; car replacement rates collected from Voi rider research; official emission factors for other transport modes; Voi’s CO2 and PM2.5 equivalents emission factors based on an LCA which analysed the cradle-to-grave environmental impact of Voi’s service; and Voi’s portfolio of verified carbon offsetting projects.
Over time, the Impact Dashboard will develop to showcase the user’s own impact on the environment by opting for sustainable micromobility. This will not only allow people to further explore the carbon reduction potential of their mobility choices, but also provide them with additional information on how mobility habits impact public health.
Encouraging sustainable transport choices
Since launching in Europe in 2018, over 70 million trips have been taken on Voi’s bright coral e-scooters and e-bikes across 70+ cities in 11 countries. According to Voi global data, on average 15.4% of rides replace cars, taxis and ride-hailing and over 47% of users combine e-scooters with public transport.
Voi is committed to improving the sustainability of its services as part of its Climate Action Plan. The latest e-scooter model, the Voiager 4, has an expected lifespan of over five years. It is equipped with swappable batteries that are changed on the spot to avoid trips to warehouses and support greener operations. Over 90% of the Voiager 4 is recyclable and Voi is working towards having 95% recycled material content in scooters at the production stage by 2025. The company also has a zero-waste policy and ensures that it repairs, reuses and gives vehicles and batteries a second life as long as they meet safety requirements.
Fredrik Hjelm, CEO and co-founder of Voi, said: “A year into the ‘Decade of Action’, the global community urgently needs to step up ambition for the best chance of tackling the climate crisis, delivering on the Paris Agreement and transitioning to net-zero transport. To date, Voi riders have replaced 11 million car rides and saved over 3,000 tonnes of carbon emissions and nearly 1,750kg of PM2.5 particles from entering the atmosphere by opting for shared micromobility since 2020. However, there’s still so much more that needs to be done.
“While heads of state, delegates, and civil society gather in Glasgow for COP26, we want to do our part by giving people the tools to make informed mobility choices so they can have an active role in the transition to sustainable transport. Together, with cities, citizens and other public transport and micromobility operators, reducing the need for short car trips, reduce harmful emissions and re-shape our cities so they are made for living.”
Voi’s aim is to help create cities made for living, free from congestion, noise and pollution, which is in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 - Good Health and Wellbeing. Central to this mission is its support for the 15-minute city concept, created by Professor Carlos Moreno. By ensuring that all communities’ needs are accessible within a 15-minute walk, scooter or bike ride, the 15-minute city model can help transform cities from stressful, polluted places into vibrant places to live and work.
The Impact Dashboard will be rolling out in all Voi markets from Monday, 1 November 2021. In order to access it, Voi riders need to ensure they are using the most up to date version of the Voi app, available from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
More information about the Impact Dashboard can be found here.