Driving A Shared, Electric, Autonomous Mobility Future

This report by RMI evaluates the evolution of mobility ecosystems in China, India, and the United States, focusing on the intersection of vehicle electrification, shared mobility services, and autonomous vehicle (AV) technology. It provides recommendations on policy, infrastructure, and behavioral shifts needed to ensure a sustainable and equitable transition to future mobility.

• Electric vehicles (EVs) are expected to reach price parity with internal combustion vehicles within the next 5 to 10 years in China, India, and the United States due to declining battery costs. To accelerate this, the report suggests supportive policies to counter behavioral biases toward gas vehicles and the existing fueling infrastructure.
• Different policy approaches to EV adoption have shown varying effectiveness: China has succeeded using a mix of rewards and punishments targeting both consumers and automakers, while India has effectively leveraged public funds by focusing subsidies on high-utilization vehicles to increase electric vehicle miles.
• Shared mobility services, including ride-hailing platforms like Uber, Lyft, Ola, and Didi, can reduce congestion if they are pooled and integrated with public transit. China and India are specifically positioned to leapfrog the American model of individual car ownership because of their rapid urbanization and less established car culture.
• While autonomous vehicle (AV) technology could disrupt mobility, it risks increasing pollution and congestion unless rides are both pooled and electrified. The report recommends establishing national guidelines for AV testing, creating liability standards, and using tiered taxes to encourage pooling and electrification.
• The global pace of autonomous vehicle development is likely to be accelerated by the research and funding efforts occurring within China.

APA

RMI (2019). Driving A Shared, Electric, Autonomous Mobility Future. https://rmi.org/resources/driving-a-shared-electric-autonomous-mobility-future/

Chicago

RMI. Driving A Shared, Electric, Autonomous Mobility Future. 2019. https://rmi.org/resources/driving-a-shared-electric-autonomous-mobility-future/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=Driving A Shared, Electric, Autonomous Mobility Future |date=7 July 2019 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/driving-a-shared-electric-autonomous-mobility-future/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2019driving, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Driving A Shared, Electric, Autonomous Mobility Future}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2019}, month = jul, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/driving-a-shared-electric-autonomous-mobility-future/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }