Sustainable hybrid electric vehicle selection in the context of a developing country

Abstract

The ever increasing global warming is affecting both the environment and quality of life. The dependency on the usage of fossil fuels for transportation and power generation sector is harming the environment in terms of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To limit the use of fossil fuel, the world has to move towards a renewable, clean, and economical form of energy. In the transportation sector, the paradigm shift towards electric mobility is a step towards the same goal. For a developing country like Pakistan, due to the lacking charging infrastructure, load shedding of electricity, and high cost of non-renewable electrical energy, a country like Pakistan cannot go dependent on fully electric vehicles (EVs). The country has to shift from normal internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) to hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). This paper aims to select the most sustainable HEV in the context of a developing country, Pakistan. Using the multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) technique, i.e., fuzzy Technique for Order Performance by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), based on ten criteria and seven alternatives, it has been found that Toyota Aqua outperforms among all the other alternatives in terms of economic, social, and environmental perspective. Furthermore, to move towards hybrid technology, the government has to give relaxation in terms of customs duty and should encourage auto manufacturers to set up local industries of such vehicles in the country.