An Investigation into the Major Barriers to the Adoption of Electric Vehicles in Last Mile Deliveries for Sustainable Transport

Purpose – Although electric vehicles (EVs) offer promising solutions for reducing transport emissions, several obstacles hinder their adoption, and supply chain stakeholders must systematically identify and address these challenges. Prior research has explored barriers to EV adoption but lacks a global focus on last-mile delivery. Our study aims to fill this gap, providing a foundation for future research and aiding organizational shifts towards sustainable transportation.

Design/methodology/approach - Our study identifies 21 critical barriers to EV deployment in last-mile deliveries, validated through a quantitative survey involving 157 supply chain experts. The survey data is analysed using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), which identifies four distinct dimensions encapsulating the identified barriers. Based on consultations with five experts, the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) ranks these dimensions and individual impediments globally.

Findings - The study finds 'Energy and Infrastructure Barriers' and 'Financial and Resource Barriers' to be the most significant hindrances. Noteworthy individual barriers include the absence of fast charging stations, insufficient electricity provision, and the need for investment in power grid upgrades.

Originality - This research contributes to the existing literature by offering a robust methodology for classifying and ranking EV adoption barriers through EFA and AHP. It thus provides a globally applicable framework for stakeholders to devise targeted strategies for overcoming these barriers.