A holistic approach regarding the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) of the sector of alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) in Poland, with particular regard to passenger electric vehicles (EVs), has been proposed to explore and evaluate the current state and to propose some future actions lines towards sustainable development in transportation. The most important problems faced currently by the Polish EVs market include unstable and unclear regulations that may discourage both: producers and buyers from engaging in this market segment. Secondly, the much higher prices of EVs in comparison to the conventional vehicles together with many unsolved issues with the batteries and charging stations belong to the most significant barriers of adoption. The formulated portfolio of actions towards enabling sustainable development of transportation in the segment of passenger vehicles proposes the implementation of mini-maxi strategy that would minimize the current weaknesses by maximizing the potential opportunities of the market.

Limited consumer knowledge reduces the chances of the spread of alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs), and hence slows down AFV market spread. In our empirical survey conducted in the first quarter of 2020 among 1002 Poles planning to buy a car in the next 12 months or who have just bought one, we examine what socio-economic and attitudinal factors influence their willingness to buy an AFV. In particular, we are interested in exploring how AFV knowledge related to understanding of the differences between hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs), as well as brand recognition associate with the willingness to buy. To the best our knowledge, this is a unique study among consumers in Central and Eastern Europe, characterized by lower exposure to AFVs and lower purchasing power. Our results indicate that males with pro-environmental beliefs and behaviors who are interested in modern automotive technologies and have good AFV brand recognition are predominated to be willing to buy an AFV in the near future.

The smart concept has changed both household electrical systems (smart home) and the whole electric power system (smart grid). It has facilitated much more efficient electrical energy management. Therefore, there is a need to develop a detailed model and knowledge base at the micro-system level, which can respond to changes in the electric power system. Extensive knowledge (know-how), large financial outlays, and access to modern technologies are necessary in order to design and build a functional smart grid. The first installations were made in highly developed countries. Currently, a significant proportion of newly built power installations in Europe have the features of a smart grid type. Developing countries, such as Poland, should benefit from the experience of other countries in the process of building modern installations. The article addresses the energy performance of a household and the ontology of a household micro-system, while taking into account the possibility of it being controlled via energy management systems (EMS).