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Mobility plays a crucial part of our life. Alternative fuels and vehicle technology can mitigate climate change and greenhouse gases from road transport. This study analyses power-train deployments scenarios for the vehicle fleet of the city of Athens until 2021, taken into consideration European policy developments on vehicle CO 2 emissions and technological level of readiness, European emissions standards, Greece's economic status, energy mandates and reductions in the European energy mix and translates these into comprehensive scenarios for the road transport sector. It quantifies and assesses the potential environmental impact of these scenarios on CO 2 CO, NOx, HC, PM and CO 2 emission reductions. The study proposes the development of a Strategic Zero Carbon Transport Plan for the city of Athens, aiming at the creation of a low carbon transport system, which will encompass issues such as life cycle thinking, urban planning and energy minimization aiming at climate change mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles as well as electric vehicles are recognized as one of the most promising avenues to materially reduce automobile contributions to petroleum dependency, air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions. Based on published data from various sources an economic and environmental comparison of a conventional, hybrid and electric vehicle – currently available at the Greek market – is performed. The production and utilization stages of the vehicles are taken into consideration. Three different electricity generation scenarios-high, medium and low carbon – are investigated. According to the comparison hybrid and electric cars exhibit advantages over conventional. In a carbon free electricity generation scenario the environmental benefits of electric cars are significant since 55.2% of the total Greenhouse gas emissions and 61.4% of the total Air Pollution emissions are stemming from conventional car; whereas 6.85% and 5.76% of total air emissions produced are emanating from electric car. It is shown that the environmental impact of electric car use depends on the source of electricity. Furthermore, three scenarios regarding the penetration rate of alternative energy propulsion systems into the Greek market are investigated for the years 2012–2025. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]