Electric vehicles for CO2 reduction and road traffic transition in Kosovo: a step towards sustainable development goals

Purpose This study aims to focus on the transition of road traffic to e-mobility in Kosovo. It evaluates the impact of electric vehicles (EVs) adoption in reducing greenhouse gases (GHG) and air pollutants, as well as the effect of this transition in achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs). The research assesses the national context of an aging fleet, comprised almost entirely of internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs), reliance on fossil fuels and on an electrical grid 90% supplied by thermal power plants using lignite. It also addresses the current policy gaps, infrastructure and public awareness. Design/methodology/approach The research applies a combined quantitative and technical methodology. A national online survey with 514 respondents was conducted to assess public perception of the transition to electric mobility across age groups. The data were analysed using descriptive statistical methods, cross-tabulation and correlation analysis to identify key trends and barriers. In parallel, technical and financial modelling was carried out to evaluate the supply of EVs with renewable energy sources (RES) from a proposed 3 kW PV system, using RETScreen Expert software for energy performance, financial viability and GHG reduction, while motor vehicle emission simulator, a Web-based tool developed by the EPA, compared emissions from EVs and ICEVs. Findings The current scale of EV ownership is very low, under 0.5%. Nevertheless, there is high willingness among age groups 26–35 and 50 + to adopt EVs. High initial cost and non-existent infrastructure are the most significant barriers. Due to the electricity grid dominated by lignite, the actual use of EVs increases emissions of CO2 by 13% compared to ICEVs. The proposed model highlights that EVs emit less only when the share of RES in the national electrical grid reaches 21%. The installation of a 3 kW PV system by owners of EVs offers a sustainable solution with a payback period of 8.2 years. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first research that integrates public perception with a technical model for supplying EVs with RES in Kosovo. The study fills a significant literature gap connecting the transition of traffic with the decarbonization of the energy sector. The results provide practical knowledge for policymakers on SDGs, strategies for lowering GHG and options for a just and technically sustainable transition towards urban electromobility. The study proposes concrete measures for policies, infrastructure and public awareness to achieve the national and EU objectives. The research’s originality lies in the combination of public perception analysis with a technical PV-based model, which provides the first integrated approach for the adoption of EVs in Kosovo and extends the discourse of sustainable mobility beyond geographic novelty.