SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA, October 29, 2021 – The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) will expedite its plan to switch delivery motorcycles and trucks to electric vehicles in order to reduce carbon emissions in the transportation sector, which represents 19.2% of Seoul’s total greenhouse gas emissions and thereby achieve carbon neutrality. The scheme will target delivery vehicles with a long mileage record and which emit plenty of air pollutants.
The SMG said it will replace all motorcycles with combustion engines and old diesel trucks with electric vehicles by 2025, in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, big logistics companies, and other related parties in the delivery sector. The MOU will be signed at Seoul City Hall on Friday, October 29, at 2 pm in the presence of Mayor Oh.
Delivery motorcycles emit an enormous amount of greenhouse gases and fine dust as they run more distance than general motorcycles. Moreover, they are considered to be the culprit of noise pollution in residential areas. Accordingly, it is necessary to oust them and deploy zero-emissions and zero-noise motorcycles. Delivery trucks also drive longer distances than usual trucks as they are closely related to citizens’ daily lives. Hence, the transition to electric trucks is expected to be highly effective. In particular, as demand for delivery services increases with COVID-19 and the contactless consumption trend, it is urgent to have more electric vehicles for delivery.
Seoul plans on distributing 62,000 electric motorcycles by 2025. Among them, 35,000 motorcycles, more than 50% of the total, will be dedicated to delivery services operating for more than five days a week. The city also aims to replace all delivery motorcycles with zero-emissions and zero-noise electric two-wheels.
Furthermore, the SMG will lead a quick transition to electric motorcycles by developing a standard model of charging stations suitable for electric delivery motorcycles in collaboration with related organizations. Converting a combustion-powered motorcycle to electric drive is anticipated to have KRW 2.45 million annual cost-saving effects per vehicle.
As for delivery trucks, the Seoul city government will encourage four major logistics companies to purchase electric vehicles from 2022. There are currently 6,100 delivery trucks running across Seoul, but 97% are diesel cars that produce huge amounts of greenhouse gases.
Two MOUs—one for electric delivery motorcycles and the other for delivery trucks—will be signed on Friday the 29th. Six related parties, including the Ministry of Environment and businesses related to the demand, supply, and charging of delivery motorcycles, will sign the MOU for electric two-wheels for delivery services. For example, KT Linkus will install more than 2,000 battery swapping stations by 2025 years using phone booths to complement the short driving distance on a single charge of electric motorbikes.
The SMG and the Ministry of Environment will actively support delivery services’ transition to electric by securing subsidies for electric vehicle purchases, installing more charging infrastructures, and improving the system based on the MOU.
The MOU for delivery trucks will be signed by the SMG, the Ministry of Environment, the Korea Integrated Logistics Association, and four major logistics companies. Seoul expects that the MOU will be a stepping stone for the city to distribute electric trucks, install more charging stations in warehouses, and induce companies to buy only electric vehicles from next year.
The SMG and the Ministry of Environment will help logistics companies replace their fleet with electric vehicles through incentives for EVs, construction of charging stations, and overhaul of related systems.
According to Seoul, once the transition to zero-emissions and zero-noise electric drive starts to gain momentum thanks to the MOU, the poor air quality of the capital and the noise issues in neighborhoods will be tackled.
Meanwhile, to achieve carbon neutrality in the transportation sector, Seoul will introduce 270,000 EVs by 2025. As public transportation, trucks, and motorcycles are more likely to have bigger reduction effects, the city will first focus on them to advance the era of EVs.