Effective Job Accessibility: Lightweight Urban Electric Microcars and Quadricycles in England and Wales

Background: Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) are often proposed as a promising solution to increase sustainability in the transport sector. Whilst BEVs may solve some of the negative effects of traffic problems in cities, those models predominantly sold nowadays do not alleviate, among other things, congestion or parking pressure in cities, and may not offer the most affordable mode of transport available. Methods: The effective accessibility levels provided by BEVs and quadricycles (i.e., L6e and L7e) were compared in England and Wales. Effective accessibility not only includes driving time as an impedance but also accounts for the hours required to earn the funds to pay for the commute. Results: The lower speeds of L6e and L7e quadricycles certainly limits the number of jobs reachable when compared to a BEV in a time-based accessibility comparison. However, once the time spent at work is taken into account, then L6e and L7e quadricycles often win the ‘competition’—especially for people with modest means. Conclusions: This study shows that for some, commuting by BEV is the most time-efficient mode of transport. For individuals constrained by time or income, L6e and L7e quadricycles may serve as a more expedient choice of travel.