Prioritization and evaluation of barriers to promoting electric vehicles in Iran: A fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) approach

The promotion of electric vehicles is an effective strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, there are significant challenges that hinder the implementation of this promotion, which must be identified and evaluated to ensure effective policymaking. This research aims to identify and prioritize the barriers to promoting electric vehicles in Iran. The identification of these barriers has been carried out in two steps. In the first step, through literature review, the barriers have been identified and classified into four main categories or criteria, including 1) supply-side barriers, 2) infrastructure barriers, 3) demand-side barriers, and 4) creative destruction barriers (obstacles created by government actions, policymakers, or owners of outdated technologies that prevent the creation of a competitive environment and the replacement of technologies and new products). After the initial identification of the barriers, in an expert analysis, these barriers were reviewed by various experts from companies operating in the field of internal combustion engine vehicles and electric vehicles. Finally, after reviewing the barriers, the main criteria along with 23 sub-criteria were prioritized. Experts from relevant industries, universities, and government institutions reviewed and prioritized these barriers through the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) method. An online questionnaire was used for pairwise comparisons, completed by 24 experts. The results indicate that infrastructure barriers are the most significant, followed by creative destruction barriers, supply-side barriers, and demand-side barriers. Among the 23 sub-criteria, the unavailability of public charging infrastructure, insufficient repair and maintenance infrastructure, and significant subsidies for fossil fuels were ranked highest.