Upcycle and the Automobile: What to Do with All the Clunkers During the Green Mobility Transition?
摘要
The goal is a carbon-neutral society, especially in urban and intercity transportation, which likely means the end of most contemporary automobiles. While no one can predict what future mobility will look like, history offers clues. In the 1910s, gasoline-powered cars replaced horses for transportation. Similarly, the shift away from petrochemical-powered vehicles must consider what to do with the existing ones. Unlike horses, which are biodegradable, cars are not. With over 1 billion cars globally, disposing of them is a challenge. Crushing, melting, and recasting cars and their parts is energy-intensive and involves toxic substances, contradicting carbon neutrality goals. What is the appropriate course of action for these outdated vehicles? This chapter addresses this question by examining environmental sustainability and cultural heritage preservation through policy and planning for a post-oil future. Continuing with internal combustion engine cars is not viable for a sustainable future. Therefore, exploring policy and planning strategies for transitioning to a post-oil future, including adaptive reuse of motor vehicles and reimagining urban spaces, is needed. In addition to developing new technologies and alternative mobility solutions to address climate change, new ideas are required for safely, responsibly, and equitably upcycling these many vehicles. This approach should support heritage preservation, urban transformation, and resilience in a post-oil world.