Call for Extended Abstracts

Call for Extended Abstracts

Call for Extended Abstracts

Third International Conference on Clean Mobility and Energy

Powering Prosperity Through Innovation and Clean Mobility

Where and when: Ghent, Belgium, September 15-16, 2026
Hosted by: University of California, Davis Institute of Transportation Studies and Ghent University

Purpose and audience

The Third International Conference on Clean Mobility and Energy convenes researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders from Europe, the United States, and beyond to address policy-relevant challenges at the intersection of climate, mobility, and energy. At a time of increasing geopolitical uncertainty and fragmentation, strengthening international collaboration in sustainable transport and bringing science to policy is more important than ever. The program will spotlight practical, solution-oriented pathways to advance sustainable transportation while boosting economic and industrial competitiveness.

The conference will be held in Ghent, Belgium, with participation from key policymakers and experts from the European Commission and other international organizations. Proximity to Brussels supports targeted policy engagement to link research insights with implementation.

Academic contributions will be integrated into track sessions and poster sessions, complemented by invited speakers and a closing policy panel to connect evidence to policy and industrial investment. Interested authors are invited to submit an extended abstract describing the contribution of their policy-relevant research to one or more of the three conference tracks.

Examples of topics

Track 1: Opportunities and challenges in vehicle electrification and e-mobility

  • How do EV policy packages differ across international contexts, and what explains differences in adoption trajectories?
  • What are credible pathways for heavy-duty electrification, and where are infrastructure and grids most constraining?
  • How do battery supply chains, recycling policy and industrial strategy shape competitiveness and resilience?
  • What are the real-world implications of PHEVs, second-hand markets and end-of-life rules for emissions and equity?

Track 2: The future of urban mobility at a time of digitalization, artificial intelligence and vehicle automation

  • What are the tradeoffs with AVs, and what prevents scaling beyond pilots? What more do we need to know?
  • How do automation and new mobility services impact inequality and labor, and what governance changes are needed?
  • Under what conditions does automation improve safety, efficiency, accessibility and productivity in passenger and freight systems?
  • Which policy instruments (e.g., congestion charging, low or zero emission zones, curb management) best align innovation with public outcomes?
  • How do digitalization and artificial intelligence applications reshape governance, operations, and decision-making in urban mobility systems?
  • What are effective strategies for urban logistics and last-mile delivery, including cargo bikes and micro-hubs, to reduce congestion and emissions while maintaining service quality and equity?

Track 3: The evolving role of sustainable biofuels and e-fuels in various sectors, including shipping and aviation

  • What limits the scale-up of sustainable fuels, and which policy designs reduce investment risk without compromising sustainability?
  • How do carbon accounting choices and sustainability criteria affect incentives, trade and industry strategy?
  • What does an orderly refinery transition look like across regions, and how do legacy assets and equity concerns shape feasible pathways?
  • How should aviation and other hard-to-abate segments be prioritized under limited sustainable fuel supply?
  • What role can sustainable fuels play in decarbonizing shipping, and how do policy design and accounting choices shape viable pathways?

Submission Format

Extended abstracts
  • Length: 1000 to 1500 words
  • Language: English
  • Scope: Policy-relevant research aligned with one of the three tracks
  • File format: PDF
Required content (use these headings in final submission)
  1. Title
  2. Track (primary, optional secondary)
  3. 3 to 5 keywords
  4. Motivation and research question(s)
  5. Contribution and positioning (what is new, why it matters)
  6. Data and methods, or research design if work is in progress
  7. Key results, or expected results with a clear validation plan
  8. Policy implications (decision context, levers, tradeoffs and transferability across international regions, where relevant)
  9. Selected references (max 5)

Figures and tables are allowed if necessary and readable in the final PDF file.

How your contribution will appear in the program

Extended abstracts will be evaluated based on:

  • Fit with the conference theme and selected track
  • Policy relevance and clarity of implications
  • Credibility and transparency of methods or design
  • Strength of evidence relative to claims
  • Originality and contribution
  • Clarity of writing

Accepted abstracts will be assigned to one of the following:

  • Oral presentation in a track session
  • Poster presentation in the poster session and reception block

The program committee will curate accepted contributions to maintain balance across the three tracks.

Presenter limit: maximum one oral presentation per registered attendee.

Student posters

A student poster call will be distributed through multiple channels. A discounted registration level is planned (indicative 50 to 80 EUR). The student poster session is designed to bring emerging research into direct conversation with decision-makers.

Journal Special Issues

Authors of selected contributions with a potential to make an important contribution to policy will be invited to submit a full paper for consideration in the special issues that will be organized for scientific journals. More details on the Special Issues timeline will be announced soon.

Key dates
  • Extended abstract submission deadline: June 5, 2026
  • Notification of decisions: June 15, 2026
  • Presenter confirmation deadline: June 30, 2026
  • Presenter registration deadline: July 20, 2026
  • Draft program release: July 31, 2026
  • Conference dates: September 15-16, 2026

Submission process

Extended abstracts should be submitted by email to [email protected]

Please send one PDF attachment and include the information below in the body of the email:

  • Title
  • Track selection (primary, optional secondary)
  • Author list and affiliations
  • Contact email of corresponding author
  • PDF of extended abstract (1000 to 1500 words)
Email subject line format

CME2026 Extended Abstract Submission - [Track #] - [Lead author last name]

 

Conference contacts

Conference contact email: [email protected]