Recent ucits items

U.S. Q1 2026 EV MARKET BRIEF

Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

U.S. Q1 2026 EV MARKET BRIEF

Report from the 2026 UCLA Arrowhead Symposium: New Mobility, Automated Vehicles and Cities

Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Automated vehicles are no longer a “coming soon” technology; they are an operational reality reshaping the physical and digital real estate of our cities. The question is no longer if the technology will work, but how we will govern the complex ecosystem it inhabits. The 2026 UCLA Arrowhead Symposium on New Mobility, Automated Vehicles, and Cities shifted the focus beyond technological hype and market speculation to the urgent work of public stewardship.

Accelerating Transportation Innovation in California

Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The Mobility 10x Summit convened more than 200 leaders from state agencies, regional governments, academia, and industry to accelerate California’s transition toward a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable transportation system. As the capstone event of the Resilient and Innovative Mobility Initiative (RIMI)—a four‐year UC ITS research effort launched in 2021—the summit synthesized extensive research and practitioner insights across ten priority transportation topics, ranging from public transit to automation and carbon-neutraltransportation to equity, safety, and resilience.Across the opening and closing plenary discussions and nine breakout sessions, participants examined the structural challenges facing California’s transportation system: declining gas tax revenues, climate‐driven infrastructure damage, uneven public transit ridership recovery, inequitable access to mobility options, and rapid technological change. These challenges are converging at a moment when California...

Driving the Market for Plug-in Vehicles: Understanding Reoccurring Incentives

Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Driving the Market for Plug-in Vehicles: Understanding Reoccurring Incentives

In Search of Less Parking: How Curb Management Is Failing Future Mobility

Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

In Search of Less Parking: How Curb Management Is Failing Future Mobility

A France–Kenya Compact for Green Industrialization: Co-Investing in Two Transitions

Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A France–Kenya Compact for Green Industrialization: Co-Investing in Two Transitions

The Long-term Impacts of the Pandemic on Ridehailing Use Could Have Negative Environmental Impacts

Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Ridehailing services (such as those offered by Uber and Lyft) can contribute to increases in vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by attracting demand from more sustainable modes, encouraging additional travel, and driving while not serving passengers . Pooled ridehailing services (i.e., ridehailing services that offer discounted fares in exchange for the potential to be matched with other customers traveling to similar destinations) have been identified as a means of addressing the negative impacts of ridehailing services. However, the impact of pooled ridehailing is heavily influenced by the uptake of these services. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic substantially influenced travel mode preferences, resulting in an increased preference for individual modes (e.g., private vehicles and active modes) and a reduced preference for shared modes (e.g., public transit and ridehailing)3 . Given the disruptive impacts of the pandemic on travel mode preferences, and the negative impacts of ridehailing...

Tax parking, not housing

Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This discussion paper argues that cities should discourage off-street parking by levying a tax — a parking impact fee — on new development. Parking generates environmental and social costs or externalities, and developers, left to their own devices, will provide too many spaces from a societal perspective. A parking impact fee can account for these externalities and provide incentives for developers to reduce the oversupply of parking. One practical way to implement such a fee is to repurpose the transportation impact fees that cities already levy on new development. Rather than the current practice of charging a fee for each housing unit or square foot, which discourages housing and commercial development, cities should charge for each new parking space — discouraging parking instead.

Electrificación de Vehículos Comerciales Ligeros: Perspectivas de la Industria y Oportunidades en México

Thu, 7 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Este reporte presenta los resultados de una encuesta colaborativa de la industria y una iniciativa de investigación aplicada sobre la electrificación de flotas de vehículos comerciales ligeros (LCV, por sus siglas en inglés) en México. Realizado por el Global South Center for Clean Transportation (GSC) de UC Davis, el estudio recopiló respuestas de más de 80 empresas en todo el país, con mayor representación de Ciudad de México (CDMX), Estado de México, Guanajuato y Nuevo León.

Los resultados revelan un panorama empresarial en el que muchas operaciones ya presentan condiciones favorables para la electrificación de flotas, aunque persisten barreras financieras y de infraestructura.

Affordable Carsharing in Urban Contexts: Lessons from Richmond’s Pilot Program

Tue, 5 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

In the US, access to a personal vehicle is often essential for getting to work, school, healthcare services, shopping, and other daily needs. To expand mobility options and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, several states have launched publicly supported electric vehicle (EV) carsharing pilot programs. These programs aim to provide affordable, low-carbon transportation options to households that cannot afford to own a vehicle. Míocar, a nonprofit carsharing service, has implemented successful pilots in rural and suburban communities in California’s San Joaquin Valley. In 2022, it expanded its service to the urban environment of Richmond, California by coordinating with the City of Richmond to implement a total of six carshare hubs, three of which are still operational as of 2025. Our research team studied the Richmond pilot service using member surveys, vehicle use data, and interviews with Míocar staff to understand how well the model translated to a denser urban setting and what...

How Amenities Can Improve the Business Case for Fast Charging Infrastructure

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Public direct current (DC) fast charging infrastructure is expanding across California and remains supported by public funding. Many charging stations face challenges becoming financially sustainable, and some are located in areas that lack the amenities drivers want while they wait for their vehicles to charge. As California continues to invest in charging infrastructure to support electric vehicle (EV) adoption, understanding what drivers do while at fast chargers, and whether they visit and spend money in nearby businesses, can help inform decisions about infrastructure deployment and could improve the business case for DCFC. To better understand EV drivers’ activities at DC fast chargers, we surveyed 3,350 EV drivers in California. The survey examined what drivers do while charging, what they spend money on during charging sessions and how much, which amenities they prefer to have nearby, and how they describe their overall charging experience.

Multi-dimensional Prioritization Tool for Capital Improvement of Hillside Streets in Los Angeles

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This report presents a comprehensive framework for prioritizing capital investment in urban road infrastructure, with a focus on resilience, safety, and equity. The framework addresses the growing challenges of aging road networks, increased traffic demand, and the risks posed by natural hazards such as landslides and wildfires. Using a multi-dimensional tool, the report evaluates road segments in Los Angeles hillside regions based on their importance within the transportation network, physical condition, and hazard exposure. Additionally, it incorporates demographics to ensure that infrastructure investments prioritize underserved communities. The results are further enhanced through a probabilistic framework designed to assess landslide risks in earthquake-prone regions. By combining structural importance with demographic data and hyperlocal assessments, cities can make more informed and equitable infrastructure investment decisions. Recommendations include prioritizing investments...

Investigating Unmet and Difficult Travel in Underserved Communities in California

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Residents of disadvantaged, low-income, rural, and tribal communities—collectively referred to as underserved communities—often face transportation barriers resulting from decades of car-oriented planning. This has left lower-cost modes such as public transit, walking, and cycling unsafe or unavailable, resulting in widespread travel difficulties and unmet mobility needs that are challenging to measure. To understand how people are navigating these challenges, we surveyed 2,892 residents from underserved communities in California. Centering the experiences of people often underrepresented in travel behavior surveys, this study provides insights into the main factors linked to difficult or unmet travel, how people adapt to these challenges, and the barriers they face. Our findings provide evidence to inform the design of equitable transportation solutions that can improve mobility and access for California’s Priority Populations—groups that are State priorities for investments...

How Did Travel Change after COVID-19? Insights from Northern California Megaregion

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The COVID-19 pandemic greatly changed how people live, work, and travel. These changes influenced travel habits, public transit use, and transportation funding across regions. However, these effects were not the same everywhere; some areas faced major, lasting disruptions, while others experienced smaller impacts and recovered faster. Recognizing these differences is crucial for transportation agencies and policymakers as they prepare for future uncertainties and limited resources. In a large and diverse region like the Northern California Megaregion, with about 13 million people, understanding how and why travel patterns shifted among different communities can help improve long-term planning and system resilience.

Decarbonizing Heavy-Duty Transportation Modes with Electricity, Biofuels, and Hydrogen

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Heavy-duty transportation modes including trucks, buses, and seaport and airport equipment are relatively hard to decarbonize because of their demanding performance requirements and other factors. The California Scoping Plan for Achieving Carbon Neutrality calls for carbon-neutral transportation across all modes by 2045, with different sectors reaching 100% zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) sales by earlier dates, depending on the type of vehicle (see EO N-79-20). For public transit buses, the state’s Innovative Clean Transit rule requires both large and small transit agencies to cease purchasing combustion engine buses in 2029 in favor of zero-emission (ZE) technologies, with a phased approach that has already commenced. However, for trucks, achieving the transition to ZEVs is more problematic as the state’s Advanced Clean Fleets rule is only applicable to government fleets at present, and the Clean Truck Partnership memorandum of understanding with truck manufacturers is effectively...

New Car Dealers and Retail Innovation in California's Plug-in Vehicle Market