GOTHENBURG: Gothenburg's "Green City Zone" plans to have 100% emission-free transport modes by 2030.
A substantial geographical area of the Swedish city of Gothenburg is set to become a "Green City Zone" in the coming years.
The aim is to focus on non-polluting transport modes, eliminating CO2 emissions from transport in the zone within the next 10 years.
This "Green City Zone" is billed as a major global first, both in scale and ambition. It can be viewed as a vast testbed and demonstration area where local authorities, companies and researchers can collaborate and test out new technologies.
The zone will stretch from the Lindholmen docks district to Mölndal, a municipality just south of Gothenburg.
This initiative aims to create a zone with a climate-neutral transportation system, thanks to a variety of non-polluting transport modes and smart infrastructure. Solutions currently under consideration include autonomous taxis, a vast charging network for electric vehicles and optimized connectivity for real-time communication of traffic and weather data.
The ultimate goal is to create an attractive urban environment for residents, workers and visitors to the zone. If successful, it could serve as a model for other cities to follow.
One of the key partners in this challenge is Volvo, the carmaker having already electrified its entire range. As of last year, all Volvo models are hybrid (micro-hybrid or plug-in hybrid) or fully electric. As part of this project, the car-maker hopes to run robotaxis operated by its fully-owned mobility provider, M.
The Gothenburg "Green City Zone" is due to launch in spring 2021.
