The velomobile as an alternative to the car (Part 2)
*Author: Jens Buckbesch.
➡️ Discover Part 1 (click here)
➡️ Discover Part 3 (click here)
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Dear friends of the velomobile, dear interested parties,
Today I come with the second part of the topic "The velomobile as an alternative to the car".
At this point I would like to repeat that regardless of this focus, velomobiles simply offer pure driving pleasure and joy in movement and at the same time excellent weather protection and driving efficiency.
Velomobiles are true all-rounders!
In addition, as I described in part 1 of this lecture series, velomobiles offer high mobility, even compared to cars, given the increasing restrictions on cars in urban centers.
Is there another good reason why velomobiles are a good alternative to cars?
Certainly!
Velomobiles could make an important contribution to the urgently needed reduction of CO2 emissions in the transport sector.
The background
In 2015, 196 countries and the EU signed an internationally binding treaty in Paris to slow down climate change. The Paris climate agreement is intended to ensure that global warming is limited to well below 2 degrees compared to pre-industrial times.
The average temperature worldwide has already risen by around 1.1 degrees.
Around half of the increase has occurred in the last 30 years (NASA 2018, IPCC 2014).
If we exceed an increase of more than 1.5 degrees, there is a risk of crossing irreversible tipping points in the ecosystem, which would have catastrophic consequences for all of humanity. Then freedom and prosperity as we know them today would be in acute jeopardy and many millions of people would have to leave their living space.
Meeting the 1.5°CO2 budget requires CO2 reduction targets of at least -60% by 2025 and at least -85% by 2030 (both compared to 1990).
The transport sector is the only sector that has not managed to reduce its overall CO2 emissions in 30 years.
The car is the most important means of transport for commuters in Germany on their way to work. According to their own statements, 68 percent of Germans drove to work or the office by car in 2021 – even over shorter distances.
In 2018, the average commute to work was 16.9 kilometers.
The non-profit organization Greenpeace calculated the following for 2020:
If 40 percent of employees in Germany leave their car parked only two days a week, CO2 emissions will drop by 5.4 million tons. In addition, commuters will then cover 35.9 billion fewer kilometers.
The effects on health costs (fewer exhaust fumes, fewer traffic accidents + strengthening health through sport) would also be enormous.
The velomobile as an individual means of transport represents an attractive option like no other to replace the car in many situations. It offers excellent weather protection, extremely high driving efficiency and enormous health benefits.
Especially as a commuter vehicle, the velomobile can make a valuable contribution to decarbonization in the transport sector.
And I know from my own experience: climate protection couldn't be more fun!
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