Methodology for the comparative evaluation of vehicle technologies in intermediate cities considering electric vehicles

Abstract

Climate change and emissions reduction are crucial global issues that require transformations in the energy and transportation sectors. This has increased Electric Vehicles (EVs) adoption in various countries, including emerging economies like Colombia. The government in Colombia has implemented incentives and regulations to promote sustainable mobility, increasing the number of EVs and hybrids. However, beyond governmental incentives, factors such as range, availability of charging stations, and acquisition costs impact EV adoption. Therefore, vehicle owners must evaluate total ownership costs over time and technical aspects to understand EVs financial and performance advantages. In this context, a methodology is proposed to facilitate decision-making by comparing technical, economic, and environmental aspects of vehicle technologies in a specific urban transportation context. A case study for individual public transportation in Pasto, an intermediate city in Colombia (Pasto), is presented, which can be extrapolated to other cities with similar characteristics. This methodology supports governmental efforts for transport decarbonization and aims to inform cab owners about the economic benefits of new technological adoptions. The case study constructs a spatial model for individual public transportation simulated in SUMO (Simulation of Urban Mobility). By evaluating technical, economic, and environmental aspects with a realistic approach based on simulation results that considered traffic conditions and network operational parameters, helpful benchmarking is obtained to promote EVs among owners of public vehicles in the city and concludes that EV adoption for individual public transportation in Pasto is notably advantageous from a financial perspective.