Integrating Life Cycle Assessment and avoid-shift-improve frameworks for sustainable mobility transition in India

• We integrated Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) with Avoid-Shift-Improve (ASI) to guide India’s mobility transition. • Electric and CNG buses reduce GHG emissions by up to 72% and 65% per passenger-kilometer compared to conventional cars. • Over 90% of the vehicles’ lifecycle energy consumption comes from fossil fuels, hindering India’s net-zero aspirations. • LCA insights inform ASI strategies: ’Avoid’ travel, ’Shift’ to mass transit, ’Improve’ technologies. • The integrated framework offers policymakers actionable insights that apply to other developing countries. Transportation significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions in India, necessitating a shift towards sustainable mobility. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) evaluates the environmental impacts of transportation modes, while the Avoid-Shift-Improve (ASI) framework offers strategic guidance for sustainable mobility. However, limited research has integrated LCA and ASI to guide mobility transitions. This study bridges this gap by integrating LCA and ASI to inform sustainable mobility strategies in India. We conducted an LCA of passenger vehicles—including buses, cars, and scooters powered by various energy sources—evaluating global warming potential (GWP), cumulative energy demand (CED), and air pollution per passenger-kilometer. Results show that electric and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses offer significant GHG reductions, with electric buses achieving up to 72% lower emissions compared to petrol cars. The operation phase is the main contributor to environmental impacts across all vehicle types. Applying the ASI framework, we demonstrate how LCA insights inform strategies: ’Avoid’ through urban planning to reduce travel demand, ’Shift’ by promoting mass transit systems like buses, and ’Improve’ by advancing vehicle technologies and decarbonizing the electricity grid. This integrated approach supports India’s climate commitments and energy security goals. Our study provides actionable insights for policymakers and can be generalized to other developing countries facing similar challenges. Integrating LCA with ASI frameworks offers a comprehensive pathway towards sustainable mobility transitions, balancing environmental objectives with economic development and social equity.