Dear Colleagues,

It appears that the automotive sector is moving away from vehicles operated on oil-based products to those propelled by electricity. Virtually all the major automakers have set ambitious goals for electrification at some time in the future. In addition, several governments, such as Germany, France, and the UK, have announced future bans on the sales of conventionally fueled vehicles. It is generally acknowledged that sustainability will be advanced through the growing use of electric vehicles coupled with cleaner electrical grids.

Nevertheless, the sales of electric vehicles have been tepid in all but a very few countries to date.  Barriers to a faster uptake include the lack of public understanding, battery shortcomings (which make the vehicle more expensive and limit the driving range with a single charge), resistance from automotive dealers and the fossil fuel industry, and the absence of an adequate vehicle charging infrastructure. Governments across the world have put in place a myriad of incentives designed to overcome these perceived barriers and to jump-start the sales of electric vehicles.   

The purpose of this Special Issue, therefore, is to illuminate research findings on both barriers and incentives for greater electric vehicle market penetration. Which barriers are proving more difficult than others to overcome, and which incentives are showing the most promise in being able to counteract these barriers? Research on the intersection of electric vehicles and the movement to self-driving vehicles would also be welcome. Since this is a global issue, it is expected that research findings will vary from country to country. The purpose of this Special Issue, however, is to assemble enough research-based findings to provide overall insight into what it will take to achieve a clean-energy vehicle system based on electricity rather than fossil fuels.

Dr. Jack Barkenbus
Guest Editor

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