Recent itsdavis_phev_reports items

Driving the Market for Plug-in Vehicles: Understanding Reoccurring Incentives

Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Driving the Market for Plug-in Vehicles: Understanding Reoccurring Incentives

New Car Dealers and Retail Innovation in California's Plug-in Vehicle Market

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

New Car Dealers and Retail Innovation in California's Plug-in Vehicle Market

The Effect of Monetary Incentives on Sales of Advanced Clean Cars in the United States: Summary of the Evidence

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The Effect of Monetary Incentives on Sales of Advanced Clean Cars in the United States: Summary of the Evidence

Exploring the Effects of Federal Incentives on Consumers' Plug-In Electric Vehicle Purchase Decisions

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Exploring the Effects of Federal Incentives on Consumers' Plug-In Electric Vehicle Purchase Decisions

Driving the Market for Plug-in Vehicles: Understanding Financial Purchase Incentives

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Driving the Market for Plug-in Vehicles: Understanding Financial Purchase Incentives

Incentives to Promote Plug-In Electric Vehicle Adoption: An Introductory Guide

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Incentives to Promote Plug-In Electric Vehicle Adoption: An Introductory Guide

Driving the Market for Plug-in Vehicles: Developing Charging Infrastructure for Consumers

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Driving the Market for Plug-in Vehicles: Developing Charging Infrastructure for Consumers

Evaluating the Impact of High Occupancy Vehicle Lane Access on Plug-in Vehicle in California

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Evaluating the Impact of High Occupancy Vehicle Lane Access on Plug-in Vehicle in California

Improved Energy Feedback to Drivers Can Dramatically Reduce On-road Fuel Consumption

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Improved Energy Feedback to Drivers Can Dramatically Reduce On-road Fuel Consumption

Driving the Market for Plug-in Vehicles: Increasing Consumer Awareness and Knowledge

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Driving the Market for Plug-in Vehicles: Increasing Consumer Awareness and Knowledge

Assessing the Growth of Multi-EV Households in California

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

To meet zero-emission vehicle targets, consumers will have to adopt electric vehicles and convert their entire fleets. In the United States and California, most households own two or more vehicles; most of these households will need to switch their traditional vehicles for plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs). However, most of the research on PEV adoption has focused on people acquiring their first PEV. This work is the first to examine households’ decision to maintain at least two PEVs in their household fleets. Utilizing a multi-year survey of PEV adopters between 2012 and 2020, 3,039 respondents who acquired a vehicle after obtaining an initial PEV are identified. Respondents are divided in two groups: those who reverted to an internal combustion engine vehicle (Single PEV) and those who added an additional PEV (Multi PEV). Modelling the groups using binary logistic regression, several factors that differentiate Single from Multi PEV households are identified. Compared to Single...

Cost Sensitivity and Charging Choices of Plug-in Electric Vehicle Drivers – A Stated Preference Study

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

California's Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate targets all new Light Duty Vehicle (LDV) sales to be ZEVs by 2035. However, the current charging infrastructure is not well-developed in California, primarily serving households with home charging setups and leaving a noticeable gap in public charging facilities. This gap is seen as a significant barrier to Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) adoption within California. This report explores driver charging behavior and their preference for public DC fast charging (DCFC), drawing on Stated Preference (SP) choice experiment data from a survey of 1,102 Plug-in Electric Vehicle (PEV) owners across California.

View the NCST Project Webpage

Mobility, Energy, and Emissions Impacts of SAEVs to Disadvantaged Communities in California

Sun, 22 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This study delves into the energy and emissions impacts of Shared Autonomous and Electric Vehicles (SAEVs) on disadvantaged communities in California. It explores the intersection of evolving transportation technologies—electric, autonomous, and shared mobility—and their implications for equity, energy consumption, and emissions. Through high-resolution spatial and temporalanalyses, this research evaluates the distribution of benefits and costs of SAEVs across diverse populations, incorporatingenvironmental justice principles. Our quantitative findings reveal that electrification of the vehicle fleet leads to a 63% to 71% decrease in CO2 emissions even with the current grid mix, and up to 84%-87% under a decarbonized grid with regular charging. The introduction of smart charging further enhances these benefits, resulting in a 93.5% - 95% reduction in CO2 emissions. However, the distribution of these air quality benefits is uneven, with disadvantaged communities experiencing...

Democratization of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure: Analyzing EV Adoption by Vehicle and Household Characteristics Using Synthetic Populations

Sun, 17 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The path to transportation decarbonization will rely heavily on electric vehicles (EVs) in the United States. EV diffusion forecasting tools are necessary to predict the impacts of EVs on local energy demand and environmental quality. Few EV adoption models operate at a fine spatial scale and those that do still rely on aggregated demographic information. This adoption model is one of the first attempts to employ a synthetic population to examine EV distribution at a fine spatial and demographic scale. Using a synthetic population at the Census-Tract-level, enriched with household fleet body types and home-charging access, the researchers consider the effect of vehicle body type on EV spatial distribution and home-charging access in California. The project examines two EV body type mixes in a high electrification scenario where 8 million EVs are distributed across 6 million households in California: a “Small Vehicles” scenario where 6 million EVs are passenger cars and 2 million...

To Charge or Not to Charge: Enhancing Electric Vehicle Charging Management with LSTM-based Prediction of Non-Critical Charging Sessions and Renewable Energy Integration

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

To maximize the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction potential of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), it is critical to develop EV dynamic charging management strategies. These strategies leverage the temporal variability in emissions associated with generated electricity to align EV charging with periods of low-carbon power generation. This study introduces a deep neural network tool to enable BEV drivers to make charging sessions align with the availability of cleaner energy resources. This study leverages a Long Short-Term Memory network to forecast individual BEV vehicle miles traveled (VMT) up to two days ahead, using a year-long dataset of driving and charging patterns from 66 California-based BEVs. Based on the predicted VMT, the model then estimates the vehicle's energy needs and the necessity of a charging session. This allows drivers to charge theirvehicles strategically, prioritizing low-carbon electricity periods without risking incomplete journeys. This framework...

2021 Multi-State Zero Emission Vehicle Market Study: Volume 1: A Subset of Zero Emission Vehicle States

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

2021 Multi-State Zero Emission Vehicle Market Study: Volume 1: A Subset of Zero Emission Vehicle States

Emissions and Health Impact of Electric Vehicle Adoption on Disadvantaged Communities

Wed, 3 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Vehicle electrification has attracted strong policy support in California due to its air quality and climate benefits from adoption. However, it is unclear whether these benefits are equitable across the state’s sensitive populations and socioeconomic groups and whether disadvantaged communities are able to take advantage of the emission savings and associated health benefits of electric vehicle (EV) adoption. In this study, we analyze the statewide health impacts from the reduction of on-road emissions reduction (from reducing gasoline powered cars) and the increase in power plant emissions (from EV charging) across disadvantaged communities (DACs) detected by using the environmental justice screening tool CalEnviroScreen. The results indicate that EV adoption will reduce statewide primary PM2.5 emissions by 24.02-25.05 kilotonnes and CO2 emissions by 1,223-1,255 megatonnes through 2045, and the overall monetized emission-related health benefits from decreased mortality and...

Evaluate Zero-Emissions Vehicle Charging Stations at Caltrans Facilities - A Corridor DC Fast Charger Infrastructure Performance Study (Final Report for Agreement 65A0730)

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Evaluate Zero-Emissions Vehicle Charging Stations at Caltrans Facilities - A Corridor DC Fast Charger Infrastructure Performance Study (Final Report for Agreement 65A0730)

Determinants of Medium- and Heavy-Duty Truck Fleet Turnover

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000

This study solicited information directly from decision-makers in private businesses operating fleets of medium- and heavy-duty trucks in California via interviews and pre-interview questionnaires. Additional interviews were conducted with truck manufacturers, consultants and other businesses providing services to the freight industry including leasing and auction. All these data were collected in 2021 and 2022. Fleet decision-makers describe what determines when and why they acquire and retire trucks and how they use those determinants. The purpose is to better understand vehicle turnover in the trucking sector. Direct contact with fleet decision-makers was preceded by a review of relevant literatures. This review helped in the design of joint questionnaires and interview protocols. Results are presented as 1) a set of determinants (internal to each fleet, external, and linking internal to external), 2) a typology based on decision-making structure, adaptation, and complexity,...

Role of Vehicle Technology on Use: Joint analysis of the choice of Plug-in Electric Vehicle ownership and miles traveled

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

The increasing diversity of vehicle type holdings and growing demand for BEVs and PHEVs have serious policy implications for travel demand and air pollution. Consequently, it is important to accurately predict or estimate the preference for vehicle holdings of households as well as the vehicle miles traveled by vehicle body- and fuel-type to project future VMT changes and mobile source emission levels. Leveraging the 2019 California Vehicle Survey data, this report presents the application of a utility-based model for multiple discreteness that combines multiple vehicle types with usage in an integrated model, specifically the MDCEV model. The model results suggest the important effects of household demographics, residence location, and built environment factors on vehicle body type and powertrain choice and usage. Further the predictions associated with changes inbuilt environment factors like population density can inform the design of land-use and transportation policies...

Developing a Vehicle Cost Calculator to Promote Electric Vehicle Adoption Among TNC Drivers

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 00:00:00 +0000

This research developed EV Explorer 2.0, an online vehicle cost calculator (VCC) to meet the requirements of transportation network company (TNC) drivers considering acquiring an electric vehicle (EV). The tool was built to also support the needs of other users considering an EV, including other types of gig economy drivers as well as the general population of non-professional drivers. EV Explorer 2.0 includes several important features and functionalities to support the TNC driver use case that are not found in any other available tool: (1) It allows users to estimate TCO for used vehicles as well as new (others only estimate TCO for new vehicles); (2) Outputs include ridehail-driving income estimates, accounting for EV trip bonuses offered by Uber, net driving costs; (3) Estimates of total cost of driving (TCD) include charging network membership fees and charging session fees (in addition to electricity prices). It also includes key features found in other leading tools,...

Exploring the Impact of the Federal Tax Credit on the Decision to Lease or Purchase a PEV in California

Fri, 23 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Using a sample of approximately 7,000 California PEV drivers recruited from California Clean Vehicle Rebate Program applicants, two logistic regression models are specified to analyze responses by PEV lessees and purchasers to the question of what they would do in the absence of the federal tax credit. Possible responses include: purchase/lease the same PEV, switch to a different PEV, switch to a conventional or hybrid (non-plug in) vehicle, or not acquire a vehicle at all. Several key insights are found: higher discounts from the tax credit increase the probability of lessees indicating they would not lease a PEV at all. For purchasers, in addition to not purchasing any vehicle at all, the probability of purchasing a conventional vehicle, or another PEV also increase. These findings could have implications for California’s ability to reach its ZEV milestones and are important to consider due to recent changes to the US federal tax credit. Our findings indicate that many PEV...

US-Mexico Second-hand Vehicle Trade: Implications for responsible EV end of life management and material circularity in North America

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Second-hand (SH) vehicle imports from the US comprise nearly 20 percent of the 30 million light-duty vehicles (LDV) currently registered in Mexico. As demand for electric vehicles (EVs) in Mexico grows and the share of EVs in the US fleet continues to increase, the SH EV market in Mexico is likely to start developing, introducing new challenges for vehicle lifetime and end-of-life (EoL) management needs. Using system dynamics modeling, researchers at the University of California, Davis, developed scenarios to project future trends in EV adoption and SH vehicle trade flows in Mexico. Results indicate potential synergies with respect to market timing, but also a risk of disproportionate burdens from spent batteries in Mexico, since used EVs have less remaining battery life and thus generate spent batteries more quickly than a new EV. This trade of SH EVs between Mexico and the US should be managed bilaterally, ensuring that imports to the country deliver sufficiently long operational...

Mexico Electrified: Updating Mass Transit Vehicles to Help Meet Paris Climate Goals

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Mexico Electrified: Updating Mass Transit Vehicles to Help Meet Paris Climate Goals

Exploring Tools for Maximizing the Potential for Electrified Transit Buses in Mexico

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Exploring Tools for Maximizing the Potential for Electrified Transit Buses in Mexico

Policy Brief: Implications of Global Electric Vehicle Adoption Targets for Mexico Light Duty Auto Industry

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Policy Brief: Implications of Global Electric Vehicle Adoption Targets for Mexico Light Duty Auto Industry

Implications of Global Electric Vehicle Adoption Targets for the Light Duty Auto Industry in Mexico

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Implications of Global Electric Vehicle Adoption Targets for the Light Duty Auto Industry in Mexico

Assessing the Potential Impacts of Toll Discounts on Zero-Emission Vehicle Adoption

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Zero-emission vehicles are a central component of plans to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from California’s transportation sector. Because these vehicles generally have higher purchase prices than conventional vehicles and represent a new technology that many households are hesitant to adopt, it is important to find ways to incentivize the adoption of these vehicles. A range of methods have been tested globally, including monetary incentives and stickers that allow these vehicles to access high-occupancy vehicle lanes. This report assesses the potential use of express lane discounts as a driver of ZEV adoption by testing the effectiveness of a range of discount scenarios. These scenarios are built upon a baseline scenario that incorporates adoption drivers from existing policies and market growth trajectories. This analysis treats the express lane discount as a monetary incentive. The researchers find that providing even very large discounts for express lane usage to zero-emission...

The Value of Fleet Management for Plug-in Electric Vehicles: Usage, Charging, and Grid Integration

Tue, 8 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The Value of Fleet Management for Plug-in Electric Vehicles: Usage, Charging, and Grid Integration

How Do Consumers Become Aware of Electric Vehicles? A Qualitative Approach

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Despite electric vehicles accounting for a growing share of new vehicles sales, previous studies have shown that consumers are not substantially engaged in the transition to plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs). Advertising, federal and state purchase incentives, and outreach events such as ride and drives may not be effectively engaging consumers to consider purchasing a PEV. This study seeks to understand how consumers first becoming aware of electric vehicles. We investigate 35 interviews conducted in 2019 with Tesla vehicle owners in California. The results show that word of mouth sources such as friends, family and co-workers are a main way interviewees became aware of Tesla vehicles and electric vehicles. Mass media channels of communication such as news articles, books, and the internet are other important sources interviewees reported. The findings provide insight into the resources used by Tesla owners and the ways they become aware of electric vehicles. Understanding the...

Supporting Plug-in Electric Vehicle Adoption in Light-duty Fleets

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0000

This paper discusses potential barriers to electric vehicle purchase in fleets and how these could be overcome by policymakers, fleets, and organizations with fleets. Fleets may face unique challenges to electrification and require different support than is provided to private consumers due to their variety of vehicle uses and applications. The paper is divided into discussions on purchase issues and those on operational issues. Purchase issues include ensuring plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) are available across different vehicle types, creating educational campaigns for both decision-makers and fleet vehicle drivers, and tailoring incentives to the fleet context. Operational issues include factors such as creating post-purchase incentives, implementing low-emission zones and congestion charges, and facilitating utility support for fleet vehicle charging installations.

The Central Valley Initiative

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The Central Valley Initiative

Using the Plug-in Electric Vehicle (PEV) Planning Toolbox to Understand Market Growth in California

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Accurately predicting the spatial distribution and charging demand of future electric vehicles is vital to directing investment in charging infrastructure and planning policy interventions. To date, this expansion has been heavily concentrated in wealthy cities and suburbs, among commuters, and among households able to charge their vehicles at home. The expansion of EV ownership will include both changes in where the vehicles are owned as well as how they are used and charged. This paper demonstrates methods to predict where the expansion of electric vehicle ownership is likeliest to occur under current market characteristics and allow for testing of scenarios of future characteristics. These methods are demonstrated with an analysis of California, using a scenario of 4 million battery electric vehicles and 1 million plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, to match the state’s goal of 5 million zero-emission vehicles by 2030. These projections are combined with a model for charging...

Investigating Hydrogen Station Use and Station Access in California Using a Survey of Fuel Cell Vehicle Drivers

Thu, 21 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0000

California has set a goal of reaching 100% zero emission vehicle (ZEV) sales by 2035. Most ZEV sales to date have been battery electric vehicles (BEVs) or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), while fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) make up only a small portion of ZEV sales. The market for FCEVs may be partially constrained because, unlike BEVs and PHEVs, they cannot use any existing infrastructure. This research investigates FCEV drivers use of hydrogen stations in California (of which there are 47 in operation) with the goal of informing the development of hydrogen infrastructure. Hydrogen station use was studied using results from a 2017 survey of 395 fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) owners and a 2018 survey of 328 FCEV owners. The results show FCEV drivers use on average 2.4 hydrogen stations. The average shortest distance FCEV owners would need to travel from home, work, or their commute to a hydrogen refueling station was 10 miles. Those whose most-used station was...

Strategies to Reduce Congestion and Increase Access to Electric Vehicle Charging Stations at Workplaces

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0000

This paper investigates strategies to increase charging station utilization, reduce congestion, and increase access to chargers at workplaces. Interviews with plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) drivers across California revealed three styles of workplace charging management: authoritative (rules introduced by the employer), collective (rules introduced by employees), and unmanaged (no rules in place). Authoritative charging included digital queuing, time limits with pricing, pricing, and valet charging. Collective management included day restrictions, time restrictions, messaging groups, and spreadsheets with driver information. Charging management strategies can increase accessibility and utilization of stations by reducing congestion, increasing vehicle throughput and discouraging those that do not need to charge from doing so. Workplaces with charging management may need less charging infrastructure to support more PEVs. Interviewees reported positive experiences with the charging...

2021 Zero Emission Vehicle Market Study: Volume 2: Intra-California Regions Defined by Air Districts

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0000

2021 Zero Emission Vehicle Market Study: Volume 2: Intra-California Regions Defined by Air Districts

Electric Vehicle Incentives in 15 Leading Electric Vehicle Markets

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Electric Vehicle Incentives in 15 Leading Electric Vehicle Markets

Integrating Plug-in Electric Vehicles (PEVs) into Household Fleets - Factors Influencing Miles Traveled by PEV Owners in California

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Integrating Plug-in Electric Vehicles (PEVs) into Household Fleets - Factors Influencing Miles Traveled by PEV Owners in California

Across Early Policy and Market Contexts Women and Men Show Similar Interest in Electric Vehicles

Mon, 30 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0000

While ownership and purchase of all vehicles approach gender parity, to date electric vehicles (EV) are being purchased by far more men than women. Prior analysis from California finds no reason in the available data why this difference persists. This report extends that analysis across 12 other U.S. states with varying, but generally less supportive than California, EV policy and market contexts. Data are from a survey conducted of new-car buying households at the end of 2014, which allowed participants to express their prospective interest in acquiring an EV. Participants then indicated why they were motivated to select an EV or what motivated them to not select one. Via multivariate modeling, differences in prospective interest in EVs between female and male respondents are examined, and overall, no difference rises to the level of the observed differences in real EV markets. Further, the multivariate modeling indicates no statistically significant effect of a sex indicator...

Expanding the UC Davis GIS Electric Vehicle Planning Toolbox Beyond California: The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission Case Study

Fri, 27 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0000

This project creates a toolkit that run in ArcGIS and allows users to project where EV owners will live, work, and charge. There are three distinct modules: market analysis, workplace charging, and home charging presented in block group level. The tool can be updated by the MPO users to reflect new technologies and policies, and to be used by local planners using the web interface. DVRPC has uploaded the tool’s results to an ArcGIS online interface so that interested parties may use the results in their own analyses. The researchers expect these results to be useful for electric distribution companies, businesses, developers, EV charging companies, and all levels of governments in their EV planning efforts.

View the NCST Project Webpage

Plug-in Electric Vehicle Diffusion in California: Role of Exposure to New Technology at Home and Work

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The market for plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) that primarily include battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) has been rapidly growing in California for the past few years. Given the targets for PEV penetration in the state, it is important to have a better understanding of the pattern of technology diffusion and the factors that are driving the process. Using spatial analysis and Poisson count models, the researchers identify the importance of a neighborhood effect (at home locations) and workplace effect (at commute destinations) in supporting the diffusion of PEV technology in California. In the case of new BEV sales, they found that exposure to one additional BEV or PHEV within a 1-mile radius of a block group centroid is associated with a 0.2% increase in BEV sales in the block group. Interestingly, for new PHEV sales, the neighborhood effect of BEV sales is negative, suggesting that enhanced exposure to this type of technology (which is differentiated...

Where are Used Electric Vehicles and Who are the Buyers?

Sun, 1 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Very little research has been conducted on the second (and third, and thereafter) owners of new technologies. For light duty vehicles, the research has been focused on the first owners. In the case of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), understanding the secondary market is especially important for many reasons, including the vehicle market development and on-road usage. The second owner is also an adopter of new technology, many times taking greater risk than the original owner by purchasing a vehicle close to, or after, the end of the warranty. Data on vehicle ownership at the zip code level was used to explore the total number of vehicles, the number of electric vehicles (EVs) owned by the original owner, and the number of EVs owned by a second or third owner. Results suggest that in areas with few EVs overall, used PEVs make up a higher share of all PEVs, but a lower share of all vehicles. Used PEVs are slightly less spatially concentrated than new ones, possibly because...

Cost of Plug-in Electric Vehicle Ownership: The Cost of Transitioning to Five Million Plug-In Vehicles in California

Tue, 6 Jul 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Total cost of ownership (TCO) studies are generally used as a tool to understand how and when plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) technology will reach cost parity with conventional fuel vehicles. Post cost-parity, the PEV market should be able to sustain without government intervention. The researchers present here a detailed analysis of vehicle manufacturing costs and market-level TCO accounting for technology uncertainties, behavioral heterogeneity, and key decision parameters of automakers. Using the estimates of the vehicle manufacturing costs, they estimate the cost of electrification of California’s LDV fleet to achieve the state’s net-zero emission goal by 2045. The results suggest that PEVs may not be cost competitive even in 2030 without stronger policy support and automakers initiative. Moreover, TCO is not a single number, and the cost of electrification will vary across the population based on the cost of vehicles available in the market, their charging capabilities...

Discontinuance Among California’s Electric Vehicle Buyers: Why are Some Consumers Abandoning Electric Vehicles?

Wed, 26 May 2021 00:00:00 +0000

For the market introduction of electric vehicles to be successful, first-time adopters need to make continual purchases of the vehicles. Discontinuance, the act of abandoning a new technology after once being an adopter, has implications for market growth and could prevent electric vehicles from ever reaching 100% market share. Using results from five surveys of electric vehicle owners, the researchers examine discontinuance among battery electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle adopters. In this sample, discontinuance occurs at a rate of 21% for plug-in hybrid adopters and 19% for battery electric vehicle adopters. They show that discontinuance is related to dissatisfaction with convenience of charging, owning household vehicles with lower efficiencies, being a later adopter of PEVs, not having Level 2 (220V) charging from home, and not being male. Despite consumers overcoming initial barriers of PEVs, it appears some barriers, notably their refueling style, resurface...

Emerging Technology Zero Emission Vehicle Household Travel and Refueling Behavior

Fri, 7 May 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Results from this report highlight how alternative fuel vehicles are used based on data collected between 2015 and 2020. Alternative fuel vehicles include plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), vehicles that are either battery electric vehicles (BEVs) or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and fuel cell vehicles (FCVs). This category of vehicle technologies is included in the California Air Resources Board’s Zero Emission Vehicle regulations and is referred to as ZEV in this report. We explore the environmental impacts of driving, charging behavior and infrastructure. In households with ZEVs, the data from surveys, loggers, and interviews indicate that those vehicles are being used extensively. This report, which combined the data collected in two consecutive studies between 2015-2020, includes first and second generation PEVs popular in California between 2011-2018. The BEVs include the first-generation, shortrange Nissan Leaf and the long range BEVs such as the Chevrolet Bolt...

New Car Buyers' Valuation of Zero-Emission Vehicles: California

Thu, 24 Dec 2020 00:00:00 +0000

New car buyers’ awareness, knowledge, experience, consideration, and valuation of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs), and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) as well as respondents’ attitudes toward the public policy goals of vehicles were assessed via an on-line survey and in-person interviews with a subset of the survey respondents. Questions about awareness, knowledge, experience, and consideration were asked prior to the valuation measure—the drivetrain type of a plausible next new vehicle designed by each respondent. The survey was administered in California, Oregon, Washington, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, and the other member states of the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM). Interviews were conducted in California, Oregon, and Washington. This report focuses on the results for California, though these are compared to results from other states. Even in California, prior awareness,...

Facilitating Electric Vehicle Adoption with Vehicle Cost Calculators

Tue, 21 Apr 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Consumer education regarding the costs of electric vehicles (EVs), particularly in comparison with similar gasoline vehicles, is important for adoption. However, the complexity of comparing gasoline and electricity prices, and balancing long-term return-on-investment from fuel and maintenance savings with purchase premiums for EVs, makes it difficult for consumers to assess potential economic advantages. Online vehicle cost calculators (VCCs) may help consumers navigate this complexity by providing tailored estimates of different types of vehicles costs for users and enabling comparisons across multiple vehicles. However, VCCs range widely and there has been virtually no behavioral research to identify functionalities and features that determine their usefulness in engaging and educating consumers and promoting EV adoption. This research draws on a behavioral theory, systematic review of available VCCs, and user research with three VCCs to articulate design recommendations...

Characteristics and Experiences of Ride-Hailing Drivers with Plug-in Electric Vehicles

Wed, 1 Apr 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Electrification of transportation network companies (TNCs; e.g., Uber and Lyft) presents a path for reduced emissions as well as potential benefits to drivers via reduced costs for fueling and vehicle maintenance. This report describes 732 TNC PEV drivers in the United States in terms of their demographic characteristics, motivations for driving PEVs on TNCs, charging patterns, and ideas to improve the experience of driving PEVs on TNCs. Greater understanding of these early adopters can inform strategies to promote further adoption. The economic benefits of fuel and maintenance savings associated with PEVs featured in drivers’ reported motivations for PEV adoption. Most BEV and PHEV drivers reported charging their PEV every day, most often at home and overnight, and most were willing to charge once or more while actively driving on TNCs. A large cluster of TNC PEV drivers reported predominately using public DC fast charging, indicating a heavy reliance on public charging infrastructure....

Observed Charging Rates in California

Wed, 29 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0000

As a complement to various modeling efforts around the country, we provide a brief snapshot of charging behavior in the California market based on self-reported data. This is intended to be a resource for researchers to help guide assumptions on the effect that charging access, range, commuting patterns, and housing type have on charging usage. The data are reported charging events over the last 7 days by 2830 survey respondents in June- October 2017 as part of the Advanced Plug-in Travel and Charging Behavior Project funded by the California Air Resources Board, the California Energy Commission, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, and the U.S. Department of Energy.

Exploring the Role of Cities in Electrifying Passenger Transportation

Mon, 27 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Key Takeaways

1. The electrification of passenger vehicles should be one part of a city’s transportation plan. Shifting from internal combustion engine vehicles to plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) can improve urban air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce energy consumption.

2. Recent studies show that electric vehicle awareness is low even in mature markets; cities should promote electric vehicles to residents by leveraging existing promotional campaigns.

3. Various financial and non-financial incentives can effectively encourage electric vehicle uptake, including: free, discounted, or preferential-location parking; free or reduced road and bridge tolls; and allowing electric vehicles to drive in bus or carpool lanes.

4. Several cities are restricting or planning to restrict the access that internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) have to certain areas. If these restrictions apply to most (or all) passenger ICEVs, they can promote...

User Perceptions of Safety and Security: A Framework for a Transition to Electric-Shared-Automated Vehicles

Wed, 22 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0000

The confluence of vehicle electrification, sharing and pooling, and automation alters petroleum-fueled, human-piloted, and privately-owned and operated vehicles for personal mobility in ways that raises such questions as, “Are such systems safe and secure?” and, “Who is being kept safe and secure from what (or whom)?” Answers are implied by filling in the “who” and “whom” of the second question: system, product, producer, road, and user. This white paper focuses on (actual and potential) users of systems of electrically-powered, shared, and automated vehicles (e-SAVs) as well as other road-users, e.g., pedestrians and cyclists. The role of user perceptions of safety and security are reviewed to create an initial framework to evaluate how they may affect who will initially use systems of e-SAVs for personal mobility and how safety and security will have to be addressed to foster sustained transitions. The paper will primarily be a resource for e-SAV user research, but will also...

Understanding the Early Adopters of Fuel Cell Vehicles

Fri, 25 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0000

In this study, the author presents results from a survey of 906 FCV and 12,910 BEV households in California. They investigated the sociodemographic profile of FCV buyers and compare them to BEV households. FCV and BEV households are similar in many areas. There is no significant difference in household income, number of people in the household, number of vehicles in the household, gender, or level of education. However, FCV and BEV households do differ in some key areas. Compared to BEV households, FCV households are slightly older; less own their own home; more live in an apartment, condo, or townhouse; they have owned more alternative fuel vehicles previously (but fewer BEVs); they have higher VMT; and slightly longer commutes. These differences may explain why these households choose to adopt a FCV. As fewer FCV households own their home, and more live in multi-unit dwellings they may have more barriers to accessing recharging from home, which may be why they selected a...

Electric Vehicle Incentives in 13 Leading Electric Vehicle Markets

Wed, 15 May 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Electric Vehicle Incentives in 13 Leading Electric Vehicle Markets

The Dynamics of Plug-in Electric Vehicles in the Secondary Market and Their Implications for Vehicle Demand, Durability, and Emissions

Wed, 3 Apr 2019 00:00:00 +0000

California is one of the first markets in the world to have a significant secondary market for plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), which includes both battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). This study examines the status of the nascent secondary PEV market in California. The authors examine who purchases these vehicles and how used PEVs are utilized. They examine the role of PEV purchase incentives both via surveys of used PEV buyers and through econometric analysis of detailed micro data. Results suggests that California PEV buyers have significantly higher incomes than the average household. If California seeks to broaden the used PEV market, lower income buyers must be brought into the market. On this count, the used PEV market appears to be beneficial, attracting buyers with slightly lower incomes than in the new PEV market. Results also indicate that used PHEV owners (and, more precisely, short-range used PEV owners) are charging their...

Exploring the Role of Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles in Electrifying Passenger Transportation

Wed, 3 Apr 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Key Takeaways

1. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) have an important role in the electrifi cation of passenger transportation. Long-range PHEVs not only are a transitional technology. They also are an enabling technology that can encourage more consumers to adopt electric vehicles.

2. The electric range of PHEVs has a signifi cant impact on electric vehicle miles traveled. PHEVs with electric range of at least 60km (37 miles (EPA Range)) have a similar ability to electrify travel as short-range battery electric vehicles (BEVs).

3. Assuming the goal of policymakers is to increase electric vehicle miles traveled, policy support should correspond directly to electric driving range of both PHEVs and BEVs. Short-range PHEVs should receive less policy support; long-range PHEVs and BEVs should receive more policy support.

4. Consumer research in several countries shows that mainstream consumers tend to be more attracted to PHEVs than to BEVs, however...

Steering the Electric Vehicle Transition to Sustainability

Fri, 15 Mar 2019 00:00:00 +0000

To achieve carbon reduction goals for 2040 and 2050, plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) policy must be worldwide and involve multi-decade policy programs. One policy is a broadening commitment to ending fossil fuels for light-duty vehicles; this will solidify the direction and accelerate investments in zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) and decapitalization of internal combustion drivetrain production so as to enable the climate driven timetable of the transition. Another proposed policy is up to two decades of financial signals to buyers and producers, sized to keep the market tilted toward PEVs while production costs decline. Additional privileges in road, parking and electricity systems are needed to attract more conservative segments of buyers and sellers. PEV manufacturers could commit to at least three generations of PEV design, and investment and product rollout into all market segments and vehicle designs. Outreach and education campaigns lasting through those three generations...

Are We Hardwiring Gender Differences into the Plug-in Electric Vehicle Market?

Fri, 15 Mar 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Evidence from the early market for plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) indicates fewer were being purchased (or leased) by women than would be expected based on women’s participation in all new vehicle transactions. The ratio of male-to-female applicants for California’s Clean Vehicle Rebate (CVR) averaged approximately three males for every female from early 2011 to mid-2015; the ratio for all new vehicle transactions is approximately one-to-one. Research on early PEV owners indicated that for their many similarities, females and males talked about their PEVs in ways that suggest female PEV drivers’ experiences may carry less influence to shape the future of PEVs and charging infrastructure than males’. First, there were simply fewer female PEV owners to provide feedback. Second, females were more likely than males to talk about how they adapted to the present capabilities of PEVs while male respondents were more likely to talk about PEVs in terms of testing their limits. For...

"Actual Results May Vary": A Behavioral Review of Eco-Driving for Policy Makers

Thu, 21 Feb 2019 00:00:00 +0000

The most commonly stated function of eco-driving has been increased on-road fuel economy. Other functions, such as emissions reductions and safety, have been substituted or conflated with fuel economy. There is no consensus on what behaviors constitute eco-driving: definitions differ by functions, forms, and contexts. To aid in systematizing eco-driving classifications, the authors propose a framework grounded in behavioral theory. Because definitions vary, so too do estimates of effects. Still, the literature presents a compelling case that drivers can increase their vehicles’ fuel economy compared to established vehicle ratings. Equally clear, there is much yet to be done to ensure that drivers capture and sustain these improvements. Most eco-driving interventions have focused on driving behaviors. They have largely been limited to training and feedback, with tentative conclusions that feedback is more effective. The behavioral framework suggested here highlights the need...

State of the Plug-In Electric Vehicle Market: Report I

Fri, 1 Feb 2019 00:00:00 +0000

This is the first of two reports that gauges the extent to which car-owning households in California have considered purchasing plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs), and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) (collectively, ZEVs). It explores which households have or have not considered ZEVs and, in those differences, seeks suggestions for how to promote greater consideration across an increased number and broader variety of households. The analysis is based on an on-line survey of car-owning households in California conducted in February 2017; the sample size was n = 1,681. The primary measure is the extent to which respondents have already considered a ZEV for their household: 4-of-5 car-owning households in California had given either no or nearly no consideration to ZEVs. Combined, less than 10 percent had given the highest two levels of consideration; active shopping or ownership. Other measures of awareness, name recognition, incentive...

State of the Plug-In Electric Vehicle Market: Report II

Fri, 21 Dec 2018 00:00:00 +0000

This is the second of two reports gauging the extent to which car-owning households in California have considered purchasing plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, battery electric vehicles, and fuel cell electric vehicles collectively, zero emission vehicles. It seeks insights into how to promote greater consideration across an increased number and broader variety of households. The analysis is based on two on-line surveys of car-owning households in California. The first was conducted in February (n = 1,681) and June 2017 (n = 1,706). Analysis of the February 2017 data is presented in the companion State of the Market Report 1. Nothing in the results for the June data contradicts the general findings from February.

New results from additional analysis of the role of biological sex/social gender is based on a recommendation in the first State of the market report. The lower likeliness that female respondents have considered zero emission vehicles is solely for fuel cell electric...