Exploration of the drivers influencing the growth of hybrid electric vehicle adoption in the emerging economies: Implications towards sustainability and low-carbon economy

The heavy reliance of the transportation and power generation sector on fossil fuels is seriously impacting the environment. Transitioning towards more sustainable transportation modes is necessary to reduce this dependency on fossil fuels. Even though shifting toward electric vehicles (EVs) can reduce harmful emissions, due to the lack of adequate charging infrastructures, underdeveloped power transmission systems, and increased cost of power generation, it is difficult for a developing country to adopt and rely heavily on EVs. However, developing countries like Bangladesh can adopt a different strategy to address this issue. Harmful emission reduction is also possible by transitioning from conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). The drivers that can promote the expansion of HEV adoption have not been extensively studied to date, which inspired the proposed study. This study explores the drivers for the growth of HEV adoption in emerging economies. First, the study identifies seventeen drivers from the literature review and expert feedback. Then the identified drivers were assessed using the Bayesian Best-Worst method (BWM). The study findings indicate that no requirement for a charging station, incentivizing consumers through policy measures, and enhanced fuel efficiency are the top three drivers influencing the growth of HEV adoption in developing or emerging economies. This study can help the decision-makers and end users in developing counties to gradually shift towards a low-carbon emission-based economy and ensure a greener and more sustainable future.