1 Introduction System dynamics (SD) and agent-based (AB) modeling are two well-known dynamic simulation approaches, which have been widely used for studying the diffusion of alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs). Comparison of SD and AB methodologies and their strengths and weaknesses have been discussed in the literature. In general, AB and SD approaches differ in two ways: the fundamental relationships among components and the level of aggregation [1]. SD is a top-down approach that looks at the process of market development as a whole and facilitates understanding the interactions of stakeholders in complex systems. AB modeling is a bottom-up approach towards a systemic analysis of complex systems. AB models can capture heterogeneity of individuals in an interconnected network, but with increased computational costs. Due to conceptual and computational limitations of each approach, several researchers have recommended using the combined form of AB and SD approaches to study the diffusion of AFVs [2–4].
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