Critical analysis on the implementation barriers and consumer perception toward future electric mobility

Abstract

Future mobility is expected to be sustainable in terms of energy production, consumption, and vehicle emissions. Embedded intelligent systems are playing a crucial role in the electrification of vehicles, their autonomy and implementation. Though electric vehicle technology is expected to lead the automotive powertrain architecture in the coming decades, various barriers currently hinder their acceptance into the automotive market. These barriers are generally categorized into battery technology, vehicle performance, charging infrastructure, consumer behavior, and government support. Hence, a detailed analysis of these barriers, especially for developing countries with minimal electric vehicle penetration is an area of concern. This article investigates the barriers and infers the comparative order of resolution for each barrier based on its priority to be identified and overcome. As consumers are the major influencers of electric vehicle demand and acceptance, barrier analysis is carried out based on their opinions. Using a Consumer Perception Survey, this article determines the influence of each barrier on potential users of electric vehicles. Fuzzy Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio analysis and TOPSIS are implemented to allocate evaluation factors to each sub-barrier to obtain the hierarchy of priority. Furthermore, this article highlights the policies and schemes implemented in developed countries and correlates them with their electric vehicle population. The article sheds light on different measures to be taken in developing countries such as India to mitigate barriers and bridge gaps. The outcome of the literature review and consumer perception survey shows that the major factors affecting electric vehicle implementation in developing countries are the lack of charging infrastructure and high overall cost. Therefore, it is realized that such developing countries must introduce more schemes and incentives on infrastructural and operational costs to promote EV growth.

Identification of Potential Barriers to Electric Vehicle Adoption in Oil-Producing Nations—The Case of Saudi Arabia

“…Doubts about performance are evident in both sets of data, with consumers concerned that EVs may not be reliable in the country's extreme climatic and geographical conditions, and stakeholders, including manufacturers and lawmakers, must take account of these if EVs are to be more widely adopted. Furthermore, to satisfy customer demand for EVs in a country such as India, EV motors should be made more durable and cost-effective for easy maintenance and repair [6]. Concerns are clear in the qualitative findings, which demonstrate anxieties over BEVs' relatively limited range, battery life, long charging times and safety and reliability.…”

“…Multiple factors, including mileage, modification, brand and model, condition, and cost of maintenance can impact the resale value of a vehicle, but battery replacement cost is unique to EVs and means they tend to lose value more quickly than ICEVs [129]. In addition, according to [6,130], in the early stages of EV adoption, resale values are unclear, making users of EVs more uncertain about this than with ICEVs. In terms of insurance prices, participants may be concerned that the expensive batteries in EVs will affect the insurance prices; however, research suggests that, on average, EV insurance prices are about USD 200 less per year than for a similar ICEV [131].…”

“…Research indicates that an increase in public charging infrastructure development leads to an increase in EV sales; however, in the early stages of the EV market, private charging options, such as home or workplace charging, have also proven to be significant [31]. Moreover, lower total expenses associated with household charging unit installation and vehicle operation would significantly enhance customer behaviour towards and perceptions of EVs [6].…”

“…This study foregrounds potential end-users' requirements in respect of EVs and identifies the key technical, social, financial, infrastructure, and policy barriers to their widespread adoption, using Saudi Arabia as a case study, since, according to Chidambaram [6], limited adoption of EVs in developing countries is a matter of concern. In doing so, it builds on a previous paper which explored ICEV drivers' perceptions of EVs and the factors they found most attractive [7], with particular reference to the Saudi context.…”

Improving Sustainability in Urban and Road Transportation: Dual Battery Block and Fuel Cell Hybrid Power System for Electric Vehicles

“…One the contributing sectors to carbon, sulfur dioxide, and nitrox oxides is the internal combustion engine public and private transport sector, which emits millions of greenhouse gas emissions every year [68][69][70][71][72], especially when compared to electric vehicles [73]. However, the limited autonomy compared to internal combustion engine (ICE) cars represents a barrier for future customers [74][75][76][77][78][79][80]. The increasing battery autonomy and EV driving range is one of the main subjects of present research in the lithium batteries field and electric vehicle applications.…”