Life cycle assessment of electric and gasoline moto-taxis in Yucatán, México: Impact of battery technology and social considerations

Abstract

To address the climate crisis driven by elevated GHG emissions, electrification of terrestrial transportation is a key strategy. This includes motorcycle taxis (moto-taxis), widely used in rural and peri-urban areas for short-distance passenger transport in Mexico. This study integrates environmental and social dimensions to evaluate moto-taxis in the Yucatán Peninsula, a region characterized by its unique energy matrix and socio-economic context. A cradle-to-grave Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), performed using SimaPro software and aligned with ISO 14040/14044 standards, compared gasoline-powered moto-taxis (M-gasoline) with electric moto-taxis using lead-acid (M‑lead) and lithium-ion (M‑lithium) batteries. The use-phase results reveal that M‑lithium has the lowest environmental impacts, followed by M‑lead and M-gasoline. Endpoint analysis further indicates that M-gasoline exhibits the highest single-score impacts in all damage categories, including human health, ecosystems, and resource scarcity. Specifically, the ecosystem damage caused by M-gasoline is more than three times that of its electric counterparts. Midpoint analysis highlights that M‑lead shows the highest impacts in freshwater and marine ecotoxicity, while M‑lithium exhibits elevated impacts in marine eutrophication, terrestrial ecotoxicity, and resource scarcity due to fossil fuel-based electricity. Social challenges such as driver safety, lack of social security, gender inequality, and limited financial support further influence the adoption of electric moto-taxis. Addressing these requires regulatory improvements, targeted subsidies, and inclusive urban planning. These findings underscore the need to enhance battery technology, transition to renewable energy, and implement socio-political solutions to advance sustainable urban mobility in developing regions. By contextualizing the study within Yucatán, this research offers insights applicable to similar regions transitioning to electric mobility.