📚 Mock Exercise 1

In 2008, the City Transport Authority (CTA), headquartered at 120 Transit Avenue, Stockholm, began evaluating electric buses as an alternative to diesel-powered public transport. At the time, road transport accounted for 29% of the citys total carbon emissions. Initial feasibility studies conducted between 2009 and 2011 examined operating costs, charging infrastructure, and passenger capacity. The CTA reported that an average diesel bus consumed 38 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres, while electric models required electricity equivalent to just 14 litres. These findings encouraged municipal planners to consider large-scale electrification as part of Stockholms 2030 climate strategy.

Pilot testing of electric buses started in March 2012 along Route 55, which connects Central Station to the Karolinska Institute. Ten buses were deployed over a distance of 8.4 kilometres, serving approximately 18,000 passengers daily. According to CTA records, noise pollution along the route dropped by 47% within six months. Installation of fast-charging stations at Odenplan and City Hall cost SEK 62 million and was completed by December 2013. Passenger surveys conducted in 2014 showed that 72% of users rated the new service as more comfortable than traditional buses.

Despite early success, the transition was not without challenges. Maintenance teams reported in 2015 that battery replacement costs were higher than expected, averaging SEK 480,000 per unit every six years. Additionally, cold winter temperatures reduced battery efficiency by up to 18% during January and February. Critics argued that these factors made electric buses unsuitable for Nordic climates. However, a 2016 independent review by the Royal Institute of Technology found that lifetime operating costs were still 22% lower than diesel buses when fuel savings were included.

By 2018, Stockholm expanded the programme citywide, operating 220 electric buses across 34 routes. Annual emissions from public buses fell from 92,000 tonnes of CO2 in 2010 to 54,000 tonnes in 2019. Funding for the expansion came from a combination of municipal budgets and a 180 million grant from the European Investment Bank, approved in July 2017. The CTA also reported a 12% reduction in long-term maintenance expenses due to fewer mechanical components in electric engines.

The impact extended beyond environmental benefits. A 2020 public health study conducted at Sdersjukhuset Hospital linked reduced roadside air pollution to a 9% decline in asthma-related emergency visits among children living within 300 metres of major bus routes. Property values near electrified routes increased by an average of 6.5% between 2018 and 2021, according to data from the Stockholm Housing Registry. These findings strengthened public and political support for further investment in electric transport systems.

Looking ahead, the CTA plans to convert its entire bus fleet of 640 vehicles to electric power by 2035. As of January 2024, 41% of the fleet had already been electrified. Future plans include installing solar-powered charging depots at depots in Bromma and Farsta, with construction scheduled to begin in September 2026. Transport analysts predict that, if completed as planned, the project could reduce annual transport emissions by an additional 38% compared to 2020 levels.