• Energy Research

The combination of car-sharing and electric vehicles can increase the acceptance of electric vehicles and facilitate car-sharing to be a more sustainable means of transport. However, this also poses more challenges for the good planning of electric car-sharing systems. To assist car-sharing companies in improving the planning decisions, this paper developed an evaluation framework from a comprehensive view. In the first step, four evaluation criteria were identified according to the planning process: construction of stations; routine inspection; vehicle usability and relocation management; and the maintenance and replacement of stations. Then, a combinatorial method based on analytic hierarchy process (AHP), cost-benefit analysis (CBA), and Voronoi diagram (VD) is developed to determine the relative weight of the four criteria and evaluate the alternative. Finally, the evaluation framework was applied in a realistic case of EVCARD, which is the most influential electric car-sharing company in China. The performance of two different operational districts of EVCARD—Jingan and Changning—were compared. The results showed that vehicle usability and relocation management is the greatest criterion influencing the planning performance of the electric car-sharing system in China, and that routine inspection is a negligible but important factor. According to the relative scores, Jiagan District performed better than Changning district.

In the context of sustainable transition, the factors that impact the decision to purchase electric vehicles (EVs) have garnered significant interest. However, existing research predominantly concentrates on the promotional factors while disregarding an examination of the resistance effects. Drawing on the innovation resistance theory (IRT), this study aims to investigate the influence of three functional barriers (usage, value, and risk) and two psychological barriers (tradition and image) on consumers’ intention to purchase EVs. Additionally, we also analyze the moderating effect of environmental concern and incentive policy. Based on a survey of 297 respondents in China, we used SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 24.0 to verify our hypothesis. Our findings indicate that usage, value, risk, and tradition barriers negatively affect EV purchase intentions. Moreover, the negative relationship between functional barriers and EV purchase intentions is weaker for a strong incentive policy. Furthermore, we found that Gen Y and households with private car consumers are more willing to purchase EVs. These findings contribute to extending the applicability of IRT to the sustainable transportation field. They also offer practical guidance for EV enterprises with regard to marketing strategies that effectively mitigate the functional and psychological barriers to enhance profits, and for policymakers to better stimulate the development of the EV market.

Electric carsharing (ECS) is a potential option to address the problem of unsustainability in the transportation sector. The business-to-consumer model of ECS, which is one of several different electric carsharing models, has gained much popularity in recent years. Generating sufficient revenue to cover costs is a critical factor for ECS companies to maintain healthy development. This study makes an economic analysis, on the basis of life-cycle cost and monetary revenue associated with the operation of ECS, of two Chinese ECS companies: EVCARD and LCCS. Based on data gathered by field investigation, this study aims to determine the break-even moment for each company’s main vehicle models by means of the net present value method. The results show that EVCARD achieved an earlier break-even moment than LCCS. The break-even moment of Chery eQ of EVCARD was the shortest of all the vehicle models, at only 181.3 min. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to portray how different cost-related and revenue-related factors influence the break-even moment. Our findings indicate that a wide difference exists in terms of the influence of different factors on the break-even moment. Among these, the manufacturer’s suggested retail price is the most influential variable, followed by the unit rental price. The reaction of the break-even moment to the market price of a charging pile and the non-rental revenue per vehicle—especially the latter—was found to be negligible in the sensitivity analysis.

Electric Vehicles (EVs) are considered to be a potential viable technology to address the persistent unsustainable problems in transport sector. In this paper, we focus on analyzing the transition processes of EVs in China because the sustainability of developing countries is essential for the worldwide sustainability. The two-round demonstration programs of EVs in China were analyzed by adopting the strategic niche management (SNM) approach so as to find out what niche protection has been provided and which obstacles hamper the further development of EVs. The results show that the financial subsidy is the most important protective measure. However, the diffusion results of EVs in different pilot cities are greatly different. The main reason lies in the uneven geographical landscape. In addition, some obstacles were exposed during the niche internal processes including low quality of expectations and poor alignment within the network. Based on the analysis results, we develop a list of suggestions that are important to consider when developing EVs.

Abstract A comprehensive understanding of how the policy mix influences the market diffusion of sustainable technology is a critical focus of recent research. Electric vehicles are considered to have the potential to address energy depletion, climate warming, and air pollution. This study attempts to investigate the effect of multiple policies, namely, product subsidy, carbon emission trading, and license plate restriction policies on electric vehicle diffusion once the purchase subsidy scheme is phased out in China. Thus, a system dynamics model that considers the interaction explicitly among the government, enterprises, and consumers is proposed. Multiple scenarios are adopted to analyze the policy effect on electric vehicle diffusion. Findings reveal the market share of electric vehicles in China will drop by 40.39% in 2020 if the purchase subsidy scheme is abolished. The three policies discussed in this paper can make up for the negative impact of purchase subsidy policy abolishment and promote the long-term growth of EVs. However, according to an in-depth analysis of the policy mechanism, these policies should also be adjusted according to the actual situation and their roles can only be optimized by combining them with other policies.