Compact Cities Electrified: The Benefits of Small Vehicles
About
This publication from ITDP and UC Davis, supported by the FIA Foundation, presents a first of its kind global and country-level analysis of how growing vehicle sizes are shaping urban passenger transport — and what that means for road safety, energy use, battery demand, and greenhouse gas emissions. Focusing on Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and the United States, the study models five plausible 2050 scenarios: Business-as-Usual (BAU), Mode Shift, High Electric Vehicles (EVs), Small Vehicles, and a combined Shift+EVs+Small Vehicles pathway.
With SUVs and other larger vehicles rising from about 20% of global sales in 2008 to more than half by 2022, the findings underscore the urgency and opportunity for reversing this trend. Across the countries analyzed, limiting vehicle size growth can delivers consistent benefits, including reductions in consumer costs, fuel use, electricity demand, battery needs, traffic deaths, and overall emissions. Prioritizing policies for sustainable urban mobility and mode shift is core to ITDP’s vision for increasing ridership on zero-emission, well-funded public transport systems worldwide.
The research ultimately finds that combining Mode Shift, High EV Adoption, and Small Vehicles delivers the greatest positive impacts. Together, these strategies can reduce overall energy consumption and liquid fuel use, while keeping battery demand manageable and accelerating the transition to cleaner transport. The combined scenario cuts annual GHG emissions by more than two-thirds by 2050, aligning more closely with global climate targets. At the same time, prioritizing Mode Shift — expanding infrastructure for walking, cycling, and public transport — emerges as a complementary strategy for improving public health and safety.
By 2050, Mode Shift could save up to 1.5 million lives and reduce annual road deaths by 40%, while also significantly lowering fine particulate pollution (PM2.5) when paired with vehicle electrification. Economically, the report findings offer a compelling alternative to BAU, which drives steep cost increases, particularly in rapidly growing economies, by showing that integrated strategies can cut total public and private costs by about half. By identifying vehicle size as a decisive and actionable policy lever, this publication provides a new, evidence-based roadmap for delivering cleaner, safer, and more equitable urban mobility.
Learn More
- Continue Reading on the ITDP Blog →
- Download the “Air Quality Impacts of Urban Passenger Transport Reform” brief →
- Download ITDP’s original “Compact Cities Electrified” report series →
- Download ITDP’s “Protected Bike Lanes Protect the Climate” report →
- Explore ITDP’s Atlas of Sustainable City Transport for mobility indicators →
- Learn more about ITDP’s 2030 Strategic Plan →
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