Title: Design and cost benefit analysis of an e-mobility service: an electric bus service in Naples, Italy

Authors: Ilaria Henke; Luigi Di Francesco; Assunta Errico

Addresses: Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, University of Naples 'Federico II', Naples 80125, Italy ' Department of Engineering, University of Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Aversa 81031, Italy ' Department of Agriculture, University of Naples 'Federico II', Naples 80055, Italy

Abstract: Among the sustainable mobility policies, electric mobility seems to be one of the best choices to reach sustainable goals, but it has limits that could be partially exceeded in the local public transport. This research presents a methodology to design electric bus services technically and economically feasibly, taking into account the effects of the new service on users' mobility choice (in terms of modal choice and willingness to pay). This methodology is then applied to a real case study: renewing an 'old' bus fleet with an electric one charged by a photovoltaic system in the Naples City (South Italy). Its effects on users' mobility choices were assessed through mobility survey and the economic feasibility was evaluated through cost benefit analysis. The economic advantages of a greener public transport were highlighted in the specific scenario (revenue/cost of about 1.32, net present value of about €299,406, internal rate of return of about 7% and payback period of about 11 years). The increasingly use of the big data as well as cloud computing may help to extent these technological innovations into the near future.

Keywords: e-mobility; electronic mobility; electric bus services; cloud computing; user perception; economic analysis; benefit and economic analysis; photovoltaic system; sustainable mobility policies; sustainable goals; new technologies; local emissions; environmental impacts; Italy.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCSE.2023.133671

International Journal of Computational Science and Engineering, 2023 Vol.26 No.5, pp.494 - 504

Received: 15 Nov 2020
Accepted: 05 Mar 2021
Published online: 29 Sep 2023 *

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