UTOPIA: Urban transport options for propulsion systems and instruments for analysis

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 99.0012

Key words (English)

Alternative fuels; propulsion systems; pilot and demonstration project; cleaner vehicles; fiscal incentives; refuelling/recharging infrastructure; low emission zones

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: UR-97-SC.2076

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 4. Frame Research Programme - 6.1 Transport

Short description (English)

See abstract

Partners and International Organizations (English)

Coordinator Energy Saving Trust (UK):

Abstract (English)

THE UTOPIA PROJECT AIMED TO PROVIDE DECISION-MAKERS WITH THE NECESSARY INFORMATION BASE, TOOLS AND GUIDELINES TO SUPPORT THE INTRODUCTION OF PROMISING URBAN TRANSPORT SOLUTIONS BASED ON CLEANER VEHICLES.
A CONSORTIUM OF 25 PARTNERS CARRIED OUT THE PROJECT. THIS INCLUDED ORGANISATIONS REPRESENTING A VARIETY OF STAKEHOLDER GROUPS AND AMBITIONS:
· NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS RESPONSIBLE FOR TESTING AND PROMOTING THE USE OF CLEANER VEHICLES;
· NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING SUPPORT TO CITY AUTHORITIES;
· A MAJOR VEHICLE MANUFACTURER;
· ASSOCIATIONS PROMOTING SPECIFIC VEHICLE FUELS;
· ORGANISATIONS INVOLVED IN LARGE-SCALE DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS;
· RESEARCH ORGANISATIONS AND UNIVERSITIES, SEEKING TO EXTEND THE FRONTIERS OF KNOWLEDGE;
· ORGANISATIONS INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS.
THE FINDINGS ARE BASED ON EXTENSIVE SURVEYS OF STAKEHOLDER VIEWS AND EXPERIENCES. SOME OF THE MAIN INPUTS CAME FROM PREVIOUS PROJECTS INVOLVING CLEANER VEHICLES AND NEW TRANSPORT CONCEPTS. AROUND 50 DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS WERE STUDIED IN DETAIL.
FOUR MAJOR OUTPUTS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED:
1. AN ASSESSMENT OF THE MOST PROMISING APPLICATIONS FOR CLEANER VEHICLES AND SUPPORTING MEASURES, FROM A CITY PERSPECTIVE
2. RECOMMENDATIONS ON POLICY ACTIONS AT THE EUROPEAN AND NATIONAL LEVELS TO PROMOTE OR FACILITATE MARKET INTRODUCTION AND DEMONSTRATION
3. A GOOD PRACTICE GUIDE TO SETTING UP AND RUNNING PILOT AND DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS, AIMED AT POTENTIAL PROJECT CHAMPIONS
4. A SOFTWARE FRAMEWORK ('NAVIGATE UTOPIA') WHICH PROVIDES INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGIES COVERING CLEAN TRANSPORT SOLUTIONS

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 99.0012