Modeling and Analyzing the Impact of Different Operating Conditions for Electric and Conventional Vehicles in Malaysia on Energy, Economic, and the Environment

Abstract

Given the significance of the transportation sector to the economy of a country, major companies and government-linked entities have invested in infrastructure and transportation services. Nonetheless, the sector faces issues relating to traffic congestion, energy consumption, and environmental impacts such as air pollution and carbon emissions. To address and analyze these issues, the current study employed microscopic modeling using the AIMSUN software, which allowed for detailed modeling and simulation. The current study examined the impacts of different operating conditions, namely: internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) and electric vehicles (EVs), on energy consumption, energy savings, cost savings, and emissions traveling on a total of six (6) routes: (i) long-distance highway travel, (ii) short-distance highway travel, (iii) long-distance urban travel, (iv) short-distance urban travel, (v) long-distance suburban travel, and (vi) short-distance suburban travel. The impacts of the traffic management systems, such as traffic lights, roundabouts, and road altitude, were also analyzed in this research. The current study discovered that, on average, EVs consumed 30 percent less energy than ICEVs and a 26 percent energy cost saving for long-distance highway travel. On long-distance urban travel, EVs experienced higher energy and cost savings than ICEVs, with 86 percent and 64 percent, respectively. In addition, EVs had lower carbon dioxide emissions than ICEVs. This study concludes that EVs offer positive impacts on energy cost savings and carbon dioxide emissions reduction for all six (6) simulated routes in Malaysia compared to ICEVs, thereby contributing to the existing literature on EVs in Malaysia.