Policy and industry implications of the potential market penetration of electric vehicles with eco-cooperative adaptive cruise control

The Eco-Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control (Eco-CACC) makes use of an algorithm to compute energy-optimized speed profiles within the vicinity of signalized intersections. We conduct a stated choice experiment to unveil the inclination of drivers towards the Eco-CACC and to calculate its potential market share. To do so, we consider the performance of the system in field and simulated tests, as well as different types of drivers. Models of discrete choice are used to identify key elements in the adoption of this technology and its market penetration. The study has been performed for gasoline and electric vehicles, as well as for different categories of roads (arterial, highways and both), separately, exploring the effect of the advantages that the Eco-CACC features bring to both. Our results demonstrate, for the gasoline-powered, that potential purchasers perceive a clear trade-off between the cost of the system and the fuel savings that it provides. This is not the case for potential electric vehicles purchasers, for whom the cost-benefit analysis is adverse, mainly due to the low cost of electricity compared to gasoline. Nevertheless, the market shares resulting from the estimated models give a significant quota to the alternatives that include the Eco-CACC, resulting from favorable attitudes towards environmentally friendly technological innovations.