A Methodological Concept for Supporting the Commercialization of Electric Vehicles towards Sustainable Urban Freight Transport

Abstract

Employment of Electric Commercial Vehicles (ECVs) constitutes a measure to achieve sustainable Urban Freight Transport (UFT). Despite a need for ECVs, the commercialization of ECVs in UFT has remained relatively low, which is reflected in the low market penetration. To increase the market penetration, much attention has been paid to four areas, which are the feasibility of ECVs, adaptions of logistics concepts, adaptions of vehicle concepts, and support of stakeholders. Besides studying these four areas, obtaining a satisfactory match between characteristics of ECVs and preferences of UFT is also an area for increasing the market penetration. However, due to the shortage of academic studies and appropriate tools that can systematically guide decision-makers in UFT to obtain a satisfactory match, little attention has been paid to this area. The present dissertation proposed a methodological concept, namely Sustainable ECV-UFT Matching Concept, to deal with the outlined problem. This concept comprises two methodologies (methodology of assessment and methodology of determination). Since matching up the ECVs and UFT generates many possibilities (denoted as ECV-UFT combinations), the methodology of assessment was developed to help decision-makers to assess the diverse ECV-UFT combinations quantitatively in the economic, social, and environmental perspective. Subsequently, the methodology of determination was developed to analyze the assessment results and support decision-makers in determining the satisfactory match from the many possibilities. In addition, this dissertation implemented this methodological concept by designing a simulation platform, which includes an available database and corresponding mathematical expressions. Three scenarios (DCV-, BEV-, and HEV-Express/post) were applied in the simulation platform to analyze the proposed methodological concept. The results confirmed that the Sustainable ECV-UFT Matching Concept is feasible in supporting decision-makers to determine the satisfactory match from the many ECV-UFT combinations. The benefits of obtaining a satisfactory match may inspire corresponding decision-makers to consider the employment of the appropriate ECVs in their UFT markets. This consideration may subsequently facilitate the market penetration of ECVs to achieve sustainable UFT. Overall, the main contribution of this dissertation is the development of a methodological concept to support the commercialization of ECVs for achieving sustainable UFT.