A System Dynamics Model of Alternative Fuel Vehicles Market under the Network Effect

According to the system dynamics model of this study, if there is a significant network effect on vehicle operating costs, it is difficult to achieve the shift to AFV even in the long term without a policy intervention because the car market is locked in to the current structure. Network effect can be caused by an increasing return to scale in fuel supply sector as well as in maintenance service sector. It is also related to the fact that the reliability and awareness of consumers on new products increases with the growth of the market share of the new products. There are several possible policy options to break the 'locked in' structure of car market, such as subsidy on vehicle price (capital cost), subsidy on fuel (operating cost) and niche management policy. Combined policy options would be more effective than relying on a single policy option to increase the market share of AFV.