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Consumer Preferences for Alternative Fuels, Automation, and Shared Mobility in Transportation

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Transportation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2019) | Viewed by 81079

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Bradley W. Lane

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Urban Planning Program, School of Public Affairs and Administration, University of Kansas, Snow Hall 217,1460 Jayhawk Blvd. Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
Interests: sustainability in transport, electric and alternative-fuel vehicles, connected and autonomous vehicles, mobility-as-a-service
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Alternative-fueled vehicles (AFVs), connected and autonomous vehicle technology (CAVs), and shared mobility/mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) promise to have long-term, indelible impacts on transportation. While there is extensive literature on early adopters of electric vehicles, there is a relative lack of work on other alternative fuels, and because shared mobility and connected and autonomous vehicles are relatively recent developments there is little empirical work on the factors that can influence the adoption and proliferation of these technologies across the mainstream population. The early literature and popular discussion on the influence of these technologies on transportation raise important research questions about potential impacts, including environmental and equity impacts, on society.

This call for papers seeks submissions studying these changing technologies in transportation; how consumer preferences and household behavior influences the interest in and adoption of those technologies; and how this may impact sustainability in transportation. Relevant topics include, but are not limited to: travel, charging, or refueling behavior; diffusion of technologies and vehicles; research focused on experiences and impacts in the developing/less developed work; role of attitudes, education, knowledge, or perception in interest in technology adoption; impacts on equity, energy demand, or the environment; location and network characteristics; impacts on land-use, development, and housing location; policies and regulations; smart cities; public transportation; freight transportation; socio-economic, demographic, and cultural impacts; role of planning and education; mainstream adoption factors and adopter behavior; and overlap/tradeoffs among AFVs, CAVs, and shared mobility.

Prof. Dr. Bradley W. Lane
Guest Editor

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Keywords

Alternative fueled vehicles
Autonomous vehicles
Connected vehicles
Shared mobility
Mobility as a service
Smart cities
Transportation sustainability

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Published Papers (12 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 4468 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigating the Influence of Consumer Behavior and Governmental Policy on the Diffusion of Electric Vehicles in Beijing, China

by Ye Yang and Zhongfu Tan

Sustainability 2019, 11(24), 6967; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11246967 - 6 Dec 2019

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 5925

Abstract

The adoption behavior of electric vehicles (EVs) has received considerable attention. However, the whole process of purchase behavior has not been well understood. In response, this paper investigates the uptake of EVs in Beijing, China, with a focus on the whole process of purchasing an EV, as well as the relevant policies. Specifically, the classical Howard–Sheth theory is used to the analyze the whole process of EV purchasing, which is divided into four stages here, namely, “Ignored and Neglected”, “Proactive Attention”, “Comparison and Selection of Vehicles” and “Usage Evaluation”. Furthermore, several “what-if” scenarios are set up to quantify the influence of some typical EV-related polices, including the license plate lottery policy and no traffic constriction on battery electric vehicles (BEVs). The results suggest: (1) 63.4% of BEV owners have rigid travel demands with cars; (2) BEVs with a driving range of 500 km, 30-minutes charging time and price of RMB 15,000 are the first choices for the majority of people; (3) 64% of BEV owners are influenced by positive comments from the users around them in the adoption of EVs; (4) the no traffic constriction on BEVs tends to be more influential than the license plate lottery policy in terms of the numbers of applications for the vehicle purchase permits and BEV purchasers, as well as energy saving and vehicular emission reduction. These findings should be helpful for different EV-related stakeholders, such as the government, to shape their policies and promote the development of EVs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Consumer Preferences for Alternative Fuels, Automation, and Shared Mobility in Transportation)

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21 pages, 1969 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Identifying and Predicting the Expenditure Level Characteristics of Car-Sharing Users Based on the Empirical Data

by Qiuyue Sai, Jun Bi, Dongfan Xie and Wei Guan

Sustainability 2019, 11(23), 6689; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11236689 - 26 Nov 2019

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2474

Abstract

Car-sharing plays a positive role in reducing vehicle ownership and greenhouse gas emissions. However, the developmental contradictions between high investment and low revenues hinder the development of the car-sharing industry. Fully understanding car-sharing users can effectively ensure the healthy development of car-sharing companies and promote the development of the entire industry. To this end, this study attempts to develop a user management method that is based on user layering and prediction methods. By using order data from the Lan Zhou car-sharing company in China, this paper develops a clustering method for layering car-sharing users. A multi-layer perceptron model is also developed to categorize these users into different expenditure level categories while considering periodic features. Results show that new users can be divided into three categories according to their expenditures to car-sharing companies within 84 days. After 5 weeks of observation, the 84-day category of new users can be predicted with an accuracy of over 85%. These results provide scientific decision support for the user management and profitability of car-sharing companies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Consumer Preferences for Alternative Fuels, Automation, and Shared Mobility in Transportation)

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14 pages, 1746 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Electric Car Purchase Price as a Factor Determining Consumers’ Choice and their Views on Incentives in Europe

by Jonatan J. Gómez Vilchez, Austin Smyth, Luke Kelleher, Hui Lu, Charlene Rohr, Gillian Harrison and Christian Thiel

Sustainability 2019, 11(22), 6357; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11226357 - 12 Nov 2019

Cited by 37 | Viewed by 10508

Abstract

The deployment of zero-emission vehicles has the potential to drastically reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from road transport. The purpose of this study is to provide evidence on, and quantify the factors that influence, the European market for electric and fuel cell car technologies. The paper reports the results of a stated preference survey among 1,248 car owners in France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom. The variables that influence powertrain choice are quantified in a nested multinomial logit model. We find that the electric car purchase price continues to be a major deterrent to sales in the surveyed countries. The majority of the respondents considered government incentives as fundamental or important for considering an electric car purchase. Because of the differences in the socio-economic characteristics of consumers in each country, the effectiveness of government incentives may vary across Europe. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Consumer Preferences for Alternative Fuels, Automation, and Shared Mobility in Transportation)

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12 pages, 1995 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Are People Ready to Entrust Their Safety to an Autonomous Ambulance as an Alternative and More Sustainable Transportation Mode?

by Azamat Zarkeshev and Csaba Csiszár

Sustainability 2019, 11(20), 5595; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11205595 - 11 Oct 2019

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3421

Abstract

Progress in advanced vehicular technologies and computer science leads to driverless vehicles becoming a reality. The standard ambulances might be replaced by driverless ambulances operated by an autopilot that provides passengers with a secure regime. Therefore, the study’s aim was to collate two different countries regarding the consumers’ preparedness to travel on such autonomous ambulances. To obtain a more demonstrative result, a questionnaire survey was conducted in two countries (Hungary and Kazakhstan). It also gathered ‘affect’ measures in order to figure out if ‘affect’ served as a medium between the ambulance mode and readiness to ride, and to understand whether emotions play any role during the decision making. The necessary data were collected through the so-called Autonomous Ambulance Acceptance Questionnaire. After conducting ‘t-Test’, ‘ANOVA’, and Mediation analysis, the findings have been discussed. The results help to realize the necessity of developing educational guides to prepare potential patients for Autonomous Vehicles technology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Consumer Preferences for Alternative Fuels, Automation, and Shared Mobility in Transportation)

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22 pages, 1278 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Travelers’ Acceptance of Electric Carsharing Systems in Developing Countries: The Case of China

by Vanduy Tran, Shengchuan Zhao, El Bachir Diop and Weiya Song

Sustainability 2019, 11(19), 5348; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11195348 - 27 Sep 2019

Cited by 48 | Viewed by 5420

Abstract

Emerging electric carsharing (EC) systems have demonstrated their advantages and attracted public attention. The number of EC systems is growing throughout the world, especially in metropolitan areas in developing countries. For successful implementation, developers need to understand the public acceptance of EC services. In this study, we sought to determine the factors that affect EC acceptance in the context of developing countries. The study involved 437 individuals, aged between 18 and 65 years, who were randomly sampled from an EC service area in China. The determinants of EC acceptance were investigated based on an extended version of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and tested by using Structural Equation Modeling. The results indicated that hedonic motivation (HM) has a powerful effect on behavioral intention (BI) to use the EC service in the future. Performance expectancy (PE), effort expectancy (EE), and familiarity with the carsharing concept (FM) also influenced EC’s acceptance. However, the impact of social influence (SI) did not emerge from this study. The results also revealed that gender moderates the effects of EE and FM on BI. Age moderated the effect of FM on BI and unexpectedly moderated the impact of HM on BI. The present study confirmed the validity of the UTAUT research model in predicting the intention to use an EC system in developing countries. Implications and recommendations for government and EC developers are also discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Consumer Preferences for Alternative Fuels, Automation, and Shared Mobility in Transportation)

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26 pages, 784 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring Factors Affecting Car Sharing Use Intention in the Southeast-Asia Region: A Case Study in Java, Indonesia

by Yoon-Young Chun, Mitsutaka Matsumoto, Kiyotaka Tahara, Kenichiro Chinen and Hideki Endo

Sustainability 2019, 11(18), 5103; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11185103 - 18 Sep 2019

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 7940

Abstract

This paper provides some insight into factors influencing the car sharing adoption and usage in Southeast-Asian developing countries like Indonesia, where car sharing is just emerging and so far, not effectively existent. This study uses an internet survey of 600 Indonesian respondents to examine how underlying factors, such as perceived benefits of car sharing related to convenience and cost-saving aspects, perceived risks and burdens of car ownership, and perceived values of car ownership as societal status can influence their intention to use car sharing. The results of the ordered logit models reveal that car sharing use intention is influenced by perceived benefits of car sharing and perceived values of car ownership as societal status. Among demographic attributes, income level has a positive effect on car sharing use intention. The implications and proper interpretations in the interplay among them can provide a useful guide to city transportation planners and business owners who attempt to promote car sharing schemes in the Southeast-Asian market like Indonesia. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Consumer Preferences for Alternative Fuels, Automation, and Shared Mobility in Transportation)

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15 pages, 1382 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pumping the Brakes on Robot Cars: Current Urban Traveler Willingness to Consider Driverless Vehicles

by Scott B. Kelley, Bradley W. Lane and John M. DeCicco

Sustainability 2019, 11(18), 5042; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11185042 - 15 Sep 2019

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3284

Abstract

A growing literature suggests that widespread travel conducted through driverless connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) accessed as a service, in contrast to those personally owned, could have significant impacts on the sustainability of urban transportation. However, it is unclear how the general public currently considers willingness to travel in driverless vehicles, and if they would be more comfortable doing so in one personally owned or one accessed as a service. To address this, we collected travel survey data by intercepting respondents on discretionary or social trips to four popular destinations in a medium-size U.S. city in the spring of 2017. After collecting data on how the respondent reached the survey site and the trip’s origin and destination, survey administrators then asked if respondents would have been willing to make their current trip in either a personally-owned driverless vehicle or through a driverless vehicle service. Over one-third expressed willingness to use both forms, while 31% were unwilling to use either. For those that considered only one, slightly more favored the personally-owned model. Consideration of an existing mobility service was consistently a positive and significant predictor of those that expressed willingness to travel in a driverless vehicle, while traveling downtown negatively and significantly influenced consideration of at least one form of driverless vehicle. These findings highlight the diverse public views about the prospect of integration of CAVs in transportation systems and raise questions about the assumption that travelers to central city locations would be early adopters of automated vehicle mobility services. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Consumer Preferences for Alternative Fuels, Automation, and Shared Mobility in Transportation)

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15 pages, 518 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Perceived Value and Customer Adoption of Electric and Hybrid Vehicles

by Elena Higueras-Castillo, Sebastian Molinillo, J. Andres Coca-Stefaniak and Francisco Liébana-Cabanillas

Sustainability 2019, 11(18), 4956; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11184956 - 11 Sep 2019

Cited by 51 | Viewed by 9164

Abstract

Internal combustion engine vehicles are a key source contributing to urban air pollution. In order to reduce noxious emissions and reliance on fossil fuels, governments and the automobile industry have started promoting the adoption of electro mobility (EM) options over the last few years, albeit with limited success in terms of market penetration. This study aimed to improve the current understanding of factors influencing customers’ intentions to adopt EM options. Building on the theories of perceived value and reasoned action, this study posits a behavioural model based on four dimensions of perceived value and two technical performance characteristics of EM vehicles with regards to their influence on customer attitudes towards EM options, as a precursor to purchase. The model was tested empirically using structural equation modelling analysis using data gathered through an online survey of 404 consumers in Spain. The results of this study showed that emotional issues, product price, vehicle acceleration and low engine noise levels have a considerable impact on consumer attitudes, which, in turn, have a positive impact on purchase intentions of EM vehicles. However, quality and social value were not found to have a positive influence on consumer attitudes. On the basis of this research it is recommended that, in order to promote the use of EM vehicles, governments and manufacturers alike should make better use of emotional issues in their social and product marketing strategies, as well as focusing on specific product attributes such as performance (e.g., vehicle acceleration and low engine noise levels) and value for money in terms of energy consumption. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Consumer Preferences for Alternative Fuels, Automation, and Shared Mobility in Transportation)

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17 pages, 688 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparing Technology Acceptance for Autonomous Vehicles, Battery Electric Vehicles, and Car Sharing—A Study across Europe, China, and North America

by Julian M. Müller

Sustainability 2019, 11(16), 4333; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11164333 - 10 Aug 2019

Cited by 78 | Viewed by 12024

Abstract

The automotive industry today faces three major transitions: the emergence of autonomous driving, electric powertrain replacing the internal combustion engine, and changes in possession of automobiles, e.g., increased usage of car sharing. As all three transitions are fostered by technologies that drive digital transformation of automobiles, the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) by Davis represents the underlying research model of this paper. Hypotheses are developed and tested for a sample of 1177 participants using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Group differences are investigated for three markets: Europe, North America, and China. The paper confirms the underlying assumptions of the Technology Acceptance Model in the context of automobiles. Further, it illustrates influential societal norms and individual experiences for technology acceptance. In addition, compound effects for technology acceptance are found, e.g., the perceived enjoyment of electric driving affects the acceptance of autonomous driving and car possession behavior. The novel approach to integrate three different technologies within the Technology Acceptance Model requires unifying items to a level which makes them comparable, limiting the results for each individual technology. For practice, automotive manufacturers obtain advice on how to foster technology acceptance. For society, the paper uncovers the role of societal norms for technology acceptance in the context of automobiles. Policy makers can obtain insights on how to successfully increase technology acceptance, e.g., for environmental purposes. Conclusively, the paper applies the Technology Acceptance Model for three developments in the context of automobiles, thereby extending current research using the Technology Acceptance Model. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Consumer Preferences for Alternative Fuels, Automation, and Shared Mobility in Transportation)

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21 pages, 4653 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

A Comparative Study of En Route Refuelling Behaviours of Conventional and Electric Vehicles in Beijing, China

by Chengxiang Zhuge, Chunfu Shao and Xia Li

Sustainability 2019, 11(14), 3869; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11143869 - 16 Jul 2019

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3996

Abstract

A comparative study is carried out to investigate the differences among conventional vehicles (CVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) in the maximum acceptable time of diverting to a refuelling station, maximum acceptable time of queueing at a refuelling station, refuelling modes and desirable electric driving ranges, using Beijing, China, as a case study. Here, several multinomial logit (MNL) models are developed to relate the diverting and waiting times to individual attributes. The results suggest that, (1) the diverting time roughly follows a normal distribution for both CVs and electric vehicles (EVs), but the difference between them is slight; (2) EVs tend to bear longer waiting time above 10 min; (3) the MNL models indicate that income and the level of education tend to be more statistically significant to both the diverting and waiting times; (4) the most preferred driving ranges obtained for BEVs and PHEVs are both around 50 km, indicating that EV drivers may just prefer to charge for a specific time ranging from 8 to 10 min. Finally, ways to apply the empirical findings in planning refuelling and charging stations are discussed with specific examples. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Consumer Preferences for Alternative Fuels, Automation, and Shared Mobility in Transportation)

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18 pages, 3504 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Operating Characteristics of Dockless Bike-Sharing Systems near Metro Stations: Case Study in Nanjing City, China

by Yuan Li, Zhenjun Zhu and Xiucheng Guo

Sustainability 2019, 11(8), 2256; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11082256 - 15 Apr 2019

Cited by 32 | Viewed by 4455

Abstract

With the growth of dockless bike-sharing (DLBS) systems, the first-and-last mile connection to public transport, such as metro and light railway stations, could be improved. DLBS systems complete the trip chain by connecting metro stations with points of interest and enhance the sustainability of urban transportation. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the trans-shipment characteristics of DLBS systems for metro stations. In this study, we collected data from the Mobike DLBS system in Nanjing City, China and applied K-means clustering to analyse the activity patterns of DLBS systems near local metro stations. Metro stations were categorised into five types on workdays and three types on weekends. An analysis of the relationships between activity patterns and spatial distribution characteristics demonstrated that the distribution of clusters possesses a strong connection with the surrounding environment. Low land development rates and a sparse distribution of metro stations cause a large range of influences. This research has direct implications for understanding the operating state of DLBS systems near metro stations and promoting the proper management of DLBS systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Consumer Preferences for Alternative Fuels, Automation, and Shared Mobility in Transportation)

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20 pages, 696 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Exploring the Factors Affecting Mode Choice Intention of Autonomous Vehicle Based on an Extended Theory of Planned Behavior—A Case Study in China

by Peng Jing, Hao Huang, Bin Ran, Fengping Zhan and Yuji Shi

Sustainability 2019, 11(4), 1155; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11041155 - 21 Feb 2019

Cited by 141 | Viewed by 11518

Abstract

Autonomous vehicle (AV) is an innovative transport option that has the potential to disrupt all industries tied to transportation systems. The advent of AV technology will bring a novel on-demand mobility pattern such as shared autonomous vehicle (SAV). To promote AV technology, it is important to understand which factors influence travelers’ intention to use AVs and SAVs. This paper collected literature from databases such as Scopus, Web of Science and ScienceDirect, and made a systematic review. The study aims to explore the determinants that influence travelers’ behavioral intentions towards use AVs and SAVs based on an extended version of the theory of planned behavior, which incorporates knowledge and perceived risk. This study was tested empirically using a valid survey sample collected from 906 respondents in China. Structural equation model was conducted to investigate the predictors of intentions to use AVs and SAVs. Results showed that knowledge about AV technology and perceived risk are the two main potential obstacles for travelers to use AVs and SAVs. Attitude significantly affects AVs and SAV choice intentions. Subjective norm is the most critical factor affecting the travelers’ intention to use AVs. Perceived behavioral control potentially stymie the travelers’ intention to use SAVs. The findings will enhance the understanding of travelers’ choice motivation from psychological and service perspectives, and provide data support for governments and companies in improving travel management strategies and product services. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Consumer Preferences for Alternative Fuels, Automation, and Shared Mobility in Transportation)

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