Search Results (90)

Electric buses are key in the strategy towards a greenhouse-gas-neutral fleet. However, their restrictions in terms of range and refueling as well as their increased price point present new challenges for public transport companies. This study aims to address, based on real-world operational data, how energy consumption and charging behavior affect battery aging and how operational strategies can be optimized to extend battery life under realistic conditions. This article presents an energy consumption analysis with respect to ambient temperatures and average vehicle speed based exclusively on real-world data of an urban bus fleet, providing a data foundation for range forecasting and infrastructure planning optimized for public transport needs. Additionally, the State of Charge (SOC) window during operation and vehicle idle time as well as the charging power were analyzed in this case study to formulate recommendations towards a more battery-friendly treatment. The central research question is whether battery-friendly operational strategies—such as reduced charging power and lower SOC windows—can realistically be implemented in daily public transport operations. The impact of the recommendations on battery lifetime is estimated using a battery aging model on drive cycles. Finally, the reduction in CO₂ emissions compared to diesel buses is estimated. Full article

In a dynamic global market, platinum-group metals (PGMs), particularly palladium, are in high demand across various industries due to their unique properties. Palladium plays a crucial role in environmentally friendly technologies, such as catalytic converters, which mitigate harmful automotive emissions. Additionally, it is essential for clean energy production, particularly in hydrogen generation, which makes palladium a critical resource for building a sustainable and secure supply chain. This study evaluates the prospects of the palladium market through strategic analysis, focusing on the Russian mining and metals company PJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel. The research employs strategic and industry analysis methods to examine palladium production, market dynamics, and technological advancements, as well as emerging applications in the context of a green economy. The article analyzes the economics of palladium production, including price volatility driven by stringent environmental regulations and the rising adoption of electric vehicles. The palladium market faces challenges such as a constrained resource base, supply disruptions due to sanctions, price instability, and growing demand from key sectors, particularly the automotive industry. Nevertheless, innovation-driven trends offer promising opportunities for market growth, aligning with sustainable development principles and the transition toward a green, low-carbon economy in both established and emerging markets. As a key scientific contribution, this study proposes a modified methodological approach to industry analysis, enabling the assessment of a mining and metals company’s competitive sustainability in the palladium market over the medium and long term. Furthermore, the research models the life cycle of palladium as a commodity, considering evolving market trends and the rapid development of new industries within the green economy. Full article

In the fast-growing new energy vehicle (NEV) industry, selecting an appropriate technological innovation strategy is vital for enterprises to achieve a competitive market position while effectively coordinating their resources to align with their technical capabilities. This paper integrates ambidextrous innovation theory and the resource-based view to propose a configurational model that examines how the synergy between technological innovation and resources influences NEV firm performance. Using regression analysis and qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) for 52 listed Chinese NEV companies, this study uncovered multiple growth paths and mechanisms. The findings include the following: (1) No single factor was a necessary condition for performance, but effective combinations of innovation strategies and resource elements led to multiple success paths. (2) Government subsidies and R&D investment emerged as key drivers of performance. (3) Four distinct configuration paths were identified, with variations across firms with different resource bases. (4) In response to reduced government subsidies, NEV firms must shift from policy-driven strategies to resource- and market-driven innovation approaches. These insights provide strategic guidance for NEV enterprises in selecting innovation strategies suited to their unique resource bases in the evolving post-subsidy market environment. Full article

In the context of global climate change and the escalating energy crisis, the development of new energy vehicles (NEVs) has become a critical strategy for China to foster green transformation and achieve its carbon neutrality goals. This study focuses on A-share-listed NEV companies in China from 2015 to 2023, specifically those listed on the Shanghai or Shenzhen Stock Exchange and subject to domestic regulatory standards and disclosure requirements. These firms were selected due to the representativeness, availability, and quantifiability of their data. A super-efficient-network SBM model based on undesirable outputs and the Malmquist index were employed to assess the static and dynamic green technology innovation efficiency of 260 NEV enterprises. Additionally, the Tobit regression model was applied to analyze the influencing factors. The findings reveal that the overall green technology innovation efficiency of Chinese NEV enterprises is relatively low and has exhibited a declining trend over the years. Furthermore, the efficiency of enterprises in the western regions surpasses that of those in the eastern and central regions. Key factors, including government support, enterprise scale, and R&D investment, significantly inhibit the green technology innovation efficiency of firms. Based on these findings, this paper recommends prioritizing the innovation of core technologies, addressing regional disparities in development, and implementing tailored policies to enhance the green technology innovation efficiency and economic performance of NEV enterprises. Full article

Sustainable development has become the universal consensus among nations worldwide, with society increasingly recognizing the importance of fulfilling ESG responsibilities. This recognition has begun to influence companies’ supplier evaluation and selection behaviors. Meanwhile, integrating AI and IoT technologies has brought about new possibilities for enhancing the intelligence of supply chain management. Firstly, the concept of AIoT suppliers was defined, and evaluation and selection criteria were discussed and proposed. Secondly, the impact of ESG factors on the evaluation criteria of AIoT suppliers was explored, while the value of AIoT technology empowerment from an ESG perspective was analyzed. According to a case study of new energy vehicle supply chain management, the application of AIoT technology can assist companies in improving their ESG management capabilities and performance across multiple dimensions, thereby contributing to the long-term sustainable development of companies. Full article

In the context of carbon trading policy, carbon emissions in the supply chain of new energy vehicles have received much attention in academic research and practice. Consumer preference for environmental friendliness is also growing in new energy vehicle supply chain operations, which has prompted new energy vehicle manufacturers to invest in carbon abatement technologies to improve the environmental friendliness of new energy vehicles. At the same time, the increased demand for new energy vehicles will also increase the green promotion of third-party power battery recycling companies to facilitate the recycling of power batteries. Considering these special features in the new energy vehicle supply chain, we applied a differential game model to examine the carbon emission reduction behaviors and green promotion technologies of the new energy vehicle supply chain members from a long-term and dynamic perspective. Supply chain equilibrium strategies under four different scenarios were analyzed and compared, numerical experiments were conducted to validate the theoretical results, and sensitivity analyses were performed to identify further insights. The results of the study show that a unit carbon trading price reaching a critical threshold is a prerequisite for technical cooperation between the new energy vehicle manufacturer and the third-party power battery recycling company. It provides a theoretical basis for the government to set the carbon price, and it effectively stimulates the cooperation and emission reduction drive of new energy vehicle companies. The study breaks through the traditional cost–benefit framework, internalizes the carbon price as a supply chain cooperation drive, and opens up a new paradigm for new energy vehicle industry research. Full article

With the continuous development of the new energy vehicle industry, in order to further improve the safety and range of electric vehicles, vehicle lightweighting has been a key focus of major car companies. However, research on lightweighting and the impact protection effect of battery pack protective plates is lacking. The bottom protective plate of the battery pack in this study has a sandwich-type multi-layer structure, which is mainly composed of upper and lower glass-fiber-reinforced resin protective layers, steel plate impact resistant layers, and honeycomb buffer layers. In order to study the relationship between the impact damage response and material characteristics of the multi-material battery pack protective plate, a matrix experimental design was adopted in this study to obtain the energy absorption ratio of different material properties when the protective plate is subjected to impact damage. This work innovatively used a low-cost equivalent model method. During the drop hammer impact test, a 6061-T6 aluminum plate in direct contact with the lower part of the bottom guard plate test piece was used to simulate the deformation of the water-cooled plate in practical applications. High-strength aluminum honeycomb was arranged below the aluminum plate to simulate the deformation of the battery cell. This method provides a scientific quantitative standard for evaluating the impact resistance performance of the protective plate. The most preferred specimen in this work had a surface depression deformation of only 8.44 mm after being subjected to a 400 J high-energy impact, while the simulated water-cooled plate had a depression deformation of 4.07 mm. Among them, the high-strength steel plate played the main role in absorbing energy during the impact process, absorbing energy. It can account for about 34.3%, providing reference for further characterizing the impact resistance performance of the protective plate under different working conditions. At the same time, an equivalence analysis of the damage mode between the quasi-static indentation test and the dynamic drop hammer impact test was also conducted. Under the same conditions, the protective effect of the protective plate on impact damage was better than that of static pressure marks. From the perspective of energy absorption, the ratio coefficient of the two was about 1.2~1.3. Full article

In recent years, China has actively advanced the new energy vehicle industry to achieve its “dual carbon” objectives via a green revolution. The growth of green technical innovation by new energy vehicle enterprises has emerged as a significant national support project, and it has implemented a number of new energy vehicle promotion policies. Therefore, it is essential to investigate if promotional policies encourage the development of green technologies in businesses. China’s 2016 “New Energy Vehicle Promotion Catalogue” serves as the policy’s temporal shock point, and data from Chinese-listed new energy vehicle companies from 2011 to 2022 are used in this study. The effect and mechanism of the new energy vehicle promotion strategy on developing green technologies in businesses are investigated using a double difference model. As per the research, the promotion policy substantially enhances the green technological innovation of new energy vehicle firms. It can augment the level of R&D investment and alleviate financing constraints for enterprises, and enterprises’ social responsibility can act as a positive moderator for the promotion policy and enterprise green technological innovation. Finally, it has a more apparent positive impact on the green technological innovation of major companies and non-state-owned enterprises compared to state-owned firms. Additionally, it is more evident that enterprises are raising green technology innovation in the eastern and central regions. Full article

The strategic goal of high-quality national development depends on intelligent manufacturing, where introducing and cultivating high-end technical talent is crucial. Although prior research has linked talent policies to technological innovation, few studies have examined how targeted talent policies promote intelligent transformation in enterprises. Methods: Focusing on industry fit, this study uses new-energy-vehicle companies to represent advanced manufacturing. Drawing on targeted talent policies issued by major Chinese cities from 2016 to 2022, we employ a multi-period difference-in-differences model to assess how these policies attract high-skilled talent related to the new-energy automotive sector and drive intelligent investment and technological upgrading. Results: Our findings indicate that targeted talent policies significantly boost intelligent investment, which holds for robustness tests. Mechanism analyses reveal that these policies optimize firms’ human capital by increasing the share of highly educated and technical employees, thereby enhancing technological innovation, patent output, production quality, and efficiency. Conclusions: This research extends the capital–skill complementarity theory by highlighting the importance of specialized talent for intelligent transformation. The results offer data-driven insights for refining talent policies to support the intelligent development of the new-energy-automobile industry. Full article

The current global context demands the development of new solutions that prioritize energy efficiency, time optimization, safety, and sustainability. Urban transportation is one of the sectors undergoing significant transformation. Pursuing new urban transportation solutions has become increasingly intense, involving research institutions and companies. Considering this context, this study focused on the optimization procedures for designing a new vehicle capable of vertical take-off for urban air mobility applications. This paper reports on the optimization process of a thruster deployment mechanism using statistical techniques. In particular, the authors tested the use of Design of Experiments (DOE) techniques for the optimal design of a structural component of a new vehicle for urban mobility purposes under development at the Applied Mechanics laboratory of the Department of Industrial Engineering of the University of Salerno. For this reason, it was decided that a parametric multibody model would be developed in the Simscape Multibody environment for structural optimization using designed experiment plans to “guide” the designer in the analysis phase and search for an optimal configuration using a minimum number of configurations. Finally, employing FEM analysis, the chosen configuration was validated. This study allowed us to test the use of DOE techniques to design new systems. It allowed us to evaluate different configurations, the static and dynamic behavior, the constraining reactions present in the joints, and the active forces and torques of the actuators, highlighting the correlation between factors that can guide the designer in identifying optimal solutions. Full article

With increasingly diverse customer demands and the rapid growth of the new energy logistics industry, establishing a sustainable and responsive logistics network is critical. In a multi-depot logistics network, adopting collaborative distribution and resource sharing can significantly improve operational efficiency. This study proposes collaboration and resource sharing for a multi-depot electric vehicle (EV) routing problem with time windows and dynamic customer demands. A bi-objective optimization model is formulated to minimize the total operating costs and the number of EVs. To solve the model, a novel hybrid algorithm combining a mini-batch k-means clustering algorithm with an improved multi-objective differential evolutionary algorithm (IMODE) is proposed. This algorithm integrates genetic operations and a non-dominated sorting operation to enhance the solution quality. The strategies for dynamically inserting customer demands and charging stations are embedded within the algorithm to identify Pareto-optimal solutions effectively. The algorithm’s efficacy and applicability are verified through comparisons with the multi-objective genetic algorithm, the multi-objective evolutionary algorithm, the multi-objective particle swarm optimization algorithm, multi-objective ant colony optimization, and a multi-objective tabu search. Additionally, a case study of a new energy logistics company in Chongqing City, China demonstrates that the proposed method significantly reduces the logistics operating costs and improves logistics network efficiency. Sensitivity analysis considering different dynamic customer demand response modes and distribution strategies provides insights for reducing the total operating costs and enhancing distribution efficiency. The findings offer essential insights for promoting an environmentally sustainable and resource-efficient city. Full article

Hydrogen holds an important strategic position in the energy systems of many countries. Many studies have analyzed the acceptance of hydrogen energy technology from the public’s perspective, but few have examined it from the corporate perspective. This paper establishes a technology acceptance model and employs structural equation modeling to investigate the factors affecting the acceptance of hydrogen energy technology within enterprises. After conducting questionnaire surveys among employees of energy enterprises, electric power companies, and new energy vehicle manufacturers, the results indicate that, while most of the interviewed enterprises have positive attitudes towards hydrogen technology, their willingness to develop hydrogen business does not appear to be correspondingly positive. In addition, government trust, perceived benefit, and social influence positively impact corporate acceptability indirectly, whereas perceived risk exhibits a negative indirect effect on corporate acceptance. Finally, this paper discusses the results of the above studies and makes corresponding policy recommendations. Full article

The aim of our study is to review the new vehicle diagnostic requirements that support economical and environmentally friendly operation. Vehicle technology is undergoing continuous and significant changes. At the same time, it is not enough to develop energy-efficient and environmentally friendly technologies; they must be operated in proper technical conditions and with proper driving techniques. Accordingly, new, innovative procedures are constantly needed for the economical and environmentally friendly operation of vehicles, and it is important to emphasize that vehicle diagnostics must also follow these changes! The practical applications of our publication and our research focus on several areas. This research is particularly important in the case of public transport vehicles and transport fleets. An important practical aspect is that large transport companies also achieve significant cost savings and, at the same time, contribute to environmentally friendly transport. The publication represents a new direction in vehicle diagnostics and research and development; this is the ECO-Diagnostics discussed in the material. ECO-Diagnostics is a procedure that takes into account both ecological and economic factors during vehicle diagnostic tests. Vehicle diagnostics, as an independent, professional, and scientific field, began to develop in the 1970s. This field of research experiences a paradigm shift, on average, every 20 years. Today, an epochal shift is taking place, with the development and spread of alternative propulsion systems (e.g., electric, hydrogen, or gas) and autonomous vehicles being the main areas of focus. The changes in vehicle technology must be followed by vehicle diagnostics too. Some of the already-known diagnostic methods (e.g., for internal combustion engines) can be included in this category, but new methods are also needed to enable the economical and environmentally friendly operation of vehicles. These facts make it important and urgent to define and research this area. Research in this area is particularly important for public transport vehicles and transport fleets. It is not enough to develop energy-efficient and environmentally friendly technologies: they must be operated in the right technical condition and with the right driving techniques for the intended purpose. This will help large transport companies to achieve significant cost savings and contribute to the environmentally friendly transport of passengers and goods. A major new area in vehicle diagnostics needs to be introduced and expanded. ECO-Diagnostics is a new category that has not been used before, and it also marks a new area of research and development. The article presents the basics of categorization and supports them with its own research results and application examples. As an introduction, a systematic overview of vehicle diagnostics as a whole is also provided. This is important (and novel) as no such systematic overview is available in the technical and scientific literature. The new category should also be included in this scheme. In parallel with the development of vehicles and diagnostic procedures, the methods and their context covered by the umbrella term ECO-Diagnostics (in ecological and economic terms) should, of course, be constantly expanded. Artificial intelligence can play an important role in this process. In the future, there will be a strong demand for the development of procedures in the field of ECO-Diagnostics. For both economic and environmental reasons, it is urgent and important to research and develop procedures in this category. This fact will also influence the work of researchers in the future. Full article

The synchronization of the new energy vehicle (NEV) supply chain network is crucial for enhancing industrial integration, building intelligent supply chain systems, and promoting sustainable development. This study proposes a novel synchronization model for the NEV supply chain network, incorporating a technical method for measuring synchronization intervals. The research makes three key contributions: (1) development of a dynamic synchronization model capturing the complex interactions within NEV supply chains; (2) introduction of a quantitative method for assessing synchronization intervals; and (3) identification of critical parameters influencing network synchronization. Methodologically, we employ a combination of complex network theory and nonlinear dynamic systems to construct the synchronization model. The study utilizes real-world data from two major NEV companies (X and T) to validate the model’s effectiveness. Through network topology analysis and parameter optimization, we demonstrate significant improvements in supply chain efficiency and resilience. The practical application of this research lies in its ability to provide actionable insights for supply chain management. By optimizing network structure, coupling strength, and information delay, companies can enhance synchronization, reduce the bullwhip effect, and improve overall supply chain performance. The findings offer valuable guidance for NEV manufacturers and policymakers in building more resilient and efficient supply chain networks in the rapidly evolving automotive industry. Full article

The global automotive industry is currently undergoing a period of radical transformation as a result of the ongoing electrification of automobiles. China has established rigorous energy-saving and emission-reduction targets and regulations. Consequently, the automotive industry must take into account the limitations of carbon emission reduction and carbon trading when formulating major business strategies. A related question is how “internal incentives” should be set to maximize the variable profitability of automotive companies while meeting compliance constraints. In response, in this study, a unified and mutually consistent modeling framework for enterprise scenario analysis is proposed to align the product portfolio within an enterprise. Firstly, a game model of the new energy vehicle market is proposed to forecast general trends and provide forward-looking inputs for firms to develop business plans. Next, this paper proposes a framework for monetizing CO₂ compliance using the Pigovian tax/subsidy concept. The equilibrium is achieved through the imposition of a tax or subsidy by the company on each of its internal models. Utilizing historical data from A Motors, we clearly illustrate how our approach works and demonstrate its consistency with observations of the new energy vehicle market. Full article