A Socio-Economics and Cost-Based Assessment of Electric Mobility as a Service Transitional Juncture

The successful implementation of the electric mobility as a service (eMaaS) system in a city requires the active participation of transport service providers in providing seamless, sustainable, and affordable mobility. In the public transport operation planning process, the transport operator must know how many vehicles are needed for a specific amount of time. Given the current emphasis on green modes of transportation, a suitable cost-benefit calculation must be performed for making an informed policy decision, especially for developing economies. This work demonstrates first the total fleet size of public transport and intermediate public transport vehicles required for the first and last-mile travel of a tier-II city in India (Guwahati, Assam). The contention is that these services should incentivize the sales and adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). An EV has a higher upfront purchase cost than its internal combustion engine (ICE) counterpart. However, the cost of charging, maintaining and operating an EV is less than an ICE vehicle. An exhaustive comparison is made of the lifetime operating costs of almost all types of electric vehicles (currently being used in India) with their ICE counterparts, taking 2021 as the baseline year, to evaluate their economic viability. Furthermore, the cost comparisons remain robust against market fluctuations and various initial conditions, including increased fuel prices, change in battery replacement cost, and overall governmental support for EVs. The results indicate that extensive usage of electric vehicles generates lower lifetime costs than ICE. Hence, as a government policy, the case of promoting such vehicles is bolstered.