Selection of the Family Electric Car Based on Objective and Subjective Criteria—Analysis of a Case Study of Polish Consumers

Abstract

In accordance with the policies of European Union countries, including Poland, users of combustion vehicles are and will be encouraged in the coming years to purchase BEVs (battery electric vehicles) through various restrictions, burdens, and incentives. In this context, it is important to choose a BEV that meets consumer needs. The practical aim of the article was to analyse BEVs used in households and to select a car with the highest utility for such a household located in a specific city in Poland. The scientific goal was to analyse the impact of subjective criteria and the imprecision of judgements on the results of the multi-criteria assessment of BEVs. The research used the PVM-VSI (Preference Vector Method—Vector Space of Increments) method, which allows for examining the impact of subjective criteria on the assessment results. Moreover, by examining the deviations of the assessments, the PVM-VSI method also allows for measuring the imprecision of subjective judgements. The study showed that including subjective criteria in the decision-making model may have a decisive impact on the obtained ranking of alternatives. In the study using objective and subjective criteria, Nissan Ariya ranked first. However, in the ranking based solely on objective criteria, Kia Niro EV won, and the winner of the first ranking took the last place. In the study, the imprecision of judgements did not have a significant impact on the order of vehicles in the ranking. Based on utilities and standard deviations, it was found that only if the decision-maker was prone to gambling would there be a slight switch between alternatives.