Beyond the combustion motor: A MCDM-based approach to analyse the alternative fuel vehicle decision from the customers' point of view

In the transportation sector, one of the most polluting industries, the adoption of alternative fuel vehicles is essential for reducing carbon emissions and achieving sustainability goals outlined by international bodies, such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Despite their critical role, there is a significant lack of scientific studies that focus on direct consumer opinions regarding vehicle selection by fuel type, even with the upcoming European regulations poised to significantly change the vehicle market. This article presents a novel framework to study consumer perceptions regarding the choice of vehicles with different fuel types, considering their perspectives on all dimensions of sustainability. The framework is adaptable to any city and incorporates the opinions of local citizens to determine relevant indicators and their weights. To account for the inherent uncertainty within these indicators, Monte Carlo simulations and discrete profiles were carried out. The proposed framework is applied to the city of Barcelona as a case study. By actively involving citizens in the decision-making process, valuable insights are gained, leading to actionable recommendations for both the private sector and public administrators. These recommendations are aimed to address the primary concerns of potential customers and promote the adoption of alternative fuel vehicles, aiding in the formulation of policies and strategies that can effectively mitigate emissions and support the transition to a low-carbon economy. The results show that over the three period, conventional fuel vehicles (CFV) are the most preferred, even when only second-hand CFV are permitted.