Examining Factors Affecting the Willingness of Rickshaw Operators to Adopt Battery Operated Rickshaws: The Case of Bhopal, India

Abstract

Conventionally, public transportation has been the responsibility of the government. In developing countries, however, government-provided public transportation is often inadequate: people’s mobility needs are best met by private modes, such as shared auto-rickshaws. In India, auto-rickshaws serve as a popular last-mile transportation alternative as well as a public transportation substitute. The mode share of auto-rickshaws in major Indian cities is significant. Electrifying this mode will certainly result in a significant reduction in air pollution levels. It is therefore imperative to identify the factors which influence rickshaw operators (ROs)’ willingness to adopt battery-operated rickshaws (BORs) in India. The present study aims to identify and explore the factors that contribute to the adaptability of battery electric vehicles in India and measure the satisfaction level of ROs with the selected factors. By using structural equation modeling, the present research found that, from the viewpoint of 478 ROs, vehicle-related attributes and economy-related attributes are most influential on the adaptability of BORs. Furthermore, the one-way analysis of variance revealed that willingness to adopt BORs is significantly related to the age of the ROs. From the standpoint of government, as well as electric vehicle manufacturers, this study would be helpful in understanding the tastes, expectations, and needs of ROs if they adopt BORs.

Adopting a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Approach to Identify Barriers to Electrification of Urban Freight in India

“…When compared with ground-mounted chargers, PMCs can save up to 70% on installation costs. Having PMCs widely accessible can also provide electric freight drivers - a sense of security over range anxiety ( 15 ).…”

“…The factors affecting the likelihood of adopting EVs in the Indian scenario have been examined by several researchers (3,6,11,15,(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36). The factors listed in Table 2 illustrate how various researchers have approached the problem in the Indian context.…”

“…In the current context, internal combustion engine-powered (ICE) vehicles dominate the urban freight market in India. The use of ICE engines causes immense negative externalities such as air and noise pollution ( 15 , 16 ). There is a wide range of three- and four-wheeled vehicles in the market, including petrol, diesel, LPG, and CNG.…”

“…In the face of rapid urbanization, an increase in population, and growing demand for goods, it is imperative to shift to sustainable mobility to reduce the negative externalities in urban transport systems ( 4 , 15 , 16 ). Although a few researchers have investigated the factors that influence the adoption of electric passenger vehicles for reducing carbon footprint, there is still a dearth of literature on the adoption of electric freight in the context of Indian cities and an assessment of the factors that influence the adoption of electric freight vehicles in India.…”