Environmental impacts of shared mobility: a systematic literature review of life-cycle assessments focusing on car sharing, carpooling, bikesharing, scooters and moped sharing

Abstract

Evidence about the environmental impacts of shared mobility is fragmented and scattered. In this article a systematic literature review is presented. The review focuses on assessments that use Life-Cycle Assessment to quantify the environmental impacts of car sharing, carpooling, bikesharing, and scooter/moped sharing. The results of these assessments were analyzed, as well as the factors that influence these impacts. Business-to-consumer car sharing, peer-to-peer car sharing, carpooling, bikesharing, and scooter/moped sharing can all cause gains and losses in terms of changing the environmental impacts of passenger transportation. The findings presented here refute unconditional claims that shared mobility delivers environmental benefits. Factors that influence changes in environmental impacts from passenger transportation from shared mobility include travel behaviour, the design of shared mobility modes, and how such schemes are implemented, as well as the local context. Local governments and shared mobility organisations can benefit from the analysis presented here by deepening their understanding of these factors and considering the life-cycle phase where the greatest impacts are caused.