An analytical study on the utilization of eco-friendly cars in the perspective of sustainable development in automobile industries

Purpose: The automobile industry has been widely accepted as a major influencer in the growth of country’s economy and an important contributor to the global market as well. It is also been considered as a capital-intensive industry with the scope of vertical integration and economies of scale. In the present time, the organizations in the automobile sector are playing a leading role in imparting the idea of sustainable development in the area of productions, operations, supply chain and other fields. The typical cars emit carbon dioxide and many other harmful chemicals that are hurting the environment and human health. Research Methodology/Design: As consternation over the environment, energy saving aspects and green gas emission have grown exponentially, there is a strong need of greening of the world’s transportation system. Sustainable development in context of eco-friendly cars is a new concept with two-dimensional approach, which apparently a new concept in the recent trends. This research concentrated on the supply chain even emphasized on the sustainability aspects in terms of the sustainable development. It also seeks to find out the factors that are essential and plays a pivotal role in implementing environmentally friendly practices in the organizations along with the customers’ perception towards eco-friendly cars and its acceptability in the market.This proposed research is a combination of descriptive and exploratory research where the research philosophy that has been adopted is based on positivism and interpretivism both. Research approach is deductive and inductive in nature. Primary data are collected through questionnaire survey method. A single questionnaire has been created and administered indifferent areas. The target audience for this study will be several automobile companies and car owners in the mega city of Kolkata, which is the state capital of West Bengal.Major findings: This study has elucidated two perspectives mainly: 1) the relationship between the driving factors and the practices of implementing sustainable supply chain management system with respect to environmental performance and cost performance, and 2) consumers’ perception towards eco-friendly cars.As this study includes multifold objectives, it has enumerated several other aspects including the comparison and the drawbacks of present petrol and diesel used vehicles with that of electronic vehicles, and also the factors that are responsible for selecting an eco-friendly car instead of a petrol- or diesel-fueled car. Finally, this study has evaluated the present scenario of eco-friendly cars in regards with supply chain and sustainable developmental aspects.Research implications: Sustainability is one of the key drivers for this paradigm shift in automobile industry. This study will have significant impact on the society through the awareness and growing concern for environmental issues and on the strategy and policy makers of the automobile industry, and will be able to bring attention of the government as well when it comes to implementation