Invited commentary on ‘Population health, health equity and health system impacts of light vehicle electrification: a modelling study in Aotearoa/New Zealand

Electrification replaces internal combustion engine vehicles with battery electric vehicles, leading to reduced tailpipe emissions, cleaner air, less noise and more sustainable environments, while also providing health benefits for the public.1 However, more recently, evidence has begun to emerge that suggests potential negative health and environmental side effects of electric vehicles.2 This raises key questions about whether fleet electrification has an overall net positive effect on population health and health equity, especially when considering impacts beyond climate change mitigation.

The study by Shaw et al sought to answer this question and investigate the complex relationship of fleet vehicle electrification on a broader spectrum of public health and equity outcomes that include cost and environmental factors in Aotearoa/New Zealand. To do so, Shaw et al leveraged transport-health-environment multistate life table models to examine changes in the vehicle fleet and travel behaviours from 2018 to 2050 because of electrification….

Read the full article ›