Is Awareness of Public Charging Associated with Consumer Interest in Plug-in Electric Vehicles?

Policymakers often seek to increase the visibility of plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) chargers in public locations in effort to build familiarity and interest in PEVs. However, it is not currently clear if the visibility of public charging stations actually has an impact on PEV demand. The purposes of the present study are to (1) assess the current levels of visibility for public PEV charging infrastructure within Canada and (2) identify whether or not a statistically significant relationship exists between consumer awareness of public charging infrastructure and interest in purchasing a PEV. The authors' study separately investigates and compares 2 levels of awareness: the importance of perceived charger existence (having seen at least one public charger) and perceived charger abundance (being aware of PEV chargers in two or more location types, e.g. workplace and mall) in relation to consumer PEV interest. The authors use data from the Canadian Plug-in Electric Vehicle Survey (CPEVS 2013, n=1739) and find that perceived charger abundance is a better predictor of PEV interest than perceived existence of PEV infrastructure alone. The authors' results also suggest that other variables such as the availability of level 1 (110/120-volt) charging at home are more important factors in PEV interest amongst new car buyers.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ADC80 Alternative Transportation Fuels and Technologies.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Miele, Amy Lynne
  • Bailey, Joseph
  • Axsen, Jonn
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 94th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2015-1-11 to 2015-1-15
• Date: 2015

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 14p
• Monograph Title: TRB 94th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobile ownership; Awareness; Consumer preferences; Electric vehicle charging; Location; Plug-in hybrid vehicles
• Geographic Terms: Vancouver (Canada)
• Subject Areas: Energy; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Vehicles and Equipment; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning; I90: Vehicles;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01557871
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 15-4364
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Mar 26 2015 5:27PM