Carbon savings in ride-pooling: A data-driven, route-based analysis from East Asia

• Refined route-based RP carbon emission model reveals 22.54 % emission reduction. • RP routes with “full passenger overlap” type achieve up to 44.73 % in carbon savings. • Mid-distance (10–30 km) RP trips show the lowest carbon emission savings. • Full RP implementation in Suzhou could cut annual emissions by 30,000 tons. • The study underscores policy support for High-overlap routes and electric vehicle promotion. Ride-pooling characteristics, especially its routes’ characteristics have rarely been studied in the context of carbon emission reduction. This study proposes a route classification system and develops a refined version of the MOVES model, incorporating data from the Amap API. The model accounts for speed distribution, road hierarchy, and vehicle type to assess the impact of ride-pooling on carbon emissions in Suzhou, China. The results indicate that only 3.5 % of ride-hailing trips are pooled, mainly within the 5–15 km range, achieving a 22.54 % carbon reduction compared to non-pooled trips. The “overlapping route with all passengers” type achieves the highest reduction of 44.73 %. Compared to hybrid and electric vehicles, fuel-powered vehicles exhibit significantly higher emissions, with potential carbon savings of up to 8000 g per trip on longer routes when ride-pooling is implemented. Full ride-pooling adoption could cut Suzhou’s annual emissions by 30,000 tons, equivalent to a 19.14 % reduction in total ride-hailing emissions. These findings highlight the critical role of promoting ride-pooling and optimizing long-distance, high-overlap routes to maximize carbon reductions.