A lot of emissions are created in the production of a vehicle, so while not using it doesn't add any further emissions, a large proportion of the lifecycle emissions of a vehicle comes from its production. On average, 9% of gasoline vehicles lifecycle emissions come from when it is manufactured that quadrupling to 35% for electric vehicles. Additionally, more infrastructure is needed to be built for storage of that car whether it be a bigger garage or more parking, reducing the amount of possible green space.
Rental vehicles spend see about twice as much use as regular vehicle and are generally used when driving is the only option for transportation. Additionally, they require a smaller amount of storage per capita as multiple people can use that one car over its life as a rental vehicle. Rental vehicles are also electrifying faster than owned vehicles with an overall adoption rate of 3% compared to 0.86%.
We are also currently seeing a major shift in the type of vehicles people drive as the sedan that has been the go-to car for decades has now been taken over by the light truck like SUV's and pickup trucks. The main reason people buy vehicles like this is for the "What If?" scenarios where the extra space or 4-wheel-drive is needed and putting that over the cost or efficiency of the vehicle. Using a light truck as a sedan can increase the number of emissions produced by 32% for gas powered vehicles and 50% for electric vehicles.
If a car is genuinely needed in the household, buying a sedan for the majority of the time you need a car and then renting a light truck when you need the space or traction can greatly reduce the amount of gas you use. While it will cost extra to rent a car for that time, it is outweighed by the price difference between a sedan and a light truck, and with that the insurance cost too.
Sedan and SUV lifecycle emissions data collected by the Internation Council on Clean Transporation
Bloomberg article sharing the adoption rate of EV's in the car-rental industry
Article by Exploding Topics showing the overall adoption rate of EV's using data from the Department of Energy
Whether its visiting family and friends or patronizing a business, saying how you got somewhere can get others thinking about mobility options. Most people assume everyone gets to a location by driving but hearing that there are other ways may get them to support it more.
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If you have issues getting around your area or feel unsafe doing so, letting your city representative know is the first step towards changing it. There are ward meetings regularly held to meet them in person, but they can also be emailed at any time. They will either let you know what they can do or forward your concern to someone who has that jurisdiction.
Multiple public works projects happen every year with a majority of them involving the public right of way. Attending these meeting or writing a response to the proposal can help make sure that the projects account for all modes of transportation
While most major capital projects are federally funded, smaller local projects and transit operations receive a majority of their funding from the state. Write in to your state representative or senator to let them know how transportation funds should be distributed.
