Barriers to widespread adoption of electric vehicles: An analysis of consumer attitudes and perceptions
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors identify potential socio-technical barriers to consumer adoption of EVs and determine if sustainability issues influence consumer decision to purchase an EV, and provide valuable insights into preferences and perceptions of technology enthusiasts; individuals highly connected to technology development and better equipped to sort out the many differences between EVs and CVs.
About: This article is published in Energy Policy.The article was published on 2012-09-01. It has received 1207 citations till now.
Citations
More filters
TL;DR: In this article , personal interviews were used, and stated preferences for different scenarios were analysed using discrete choice models, revealing a general willingness to purchase EVs among the middle-income working population in India.
9 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors evaluate the perceptions and preferences of potential passengers toward the specific attributes of electrified buses, and evaluate the relative importance of eight different attributes (safety, ride comfort, environmental friendliness, exterior design, cleanliness, crowding, seat comfort, and convenience getting on/off) using the bestworst scaling method.
Abstract: The Korean government has announced plans to supply electrified buses to achieve decarbonization in the transportation sector and to create next-generation growth engines. Although a multitude of technical and political studies have been conducted to support the successful introduction of electrified buses, studies on the attitudes and perceptions of passengers toward electrified buses remain insufficient. To evaluate the perceptions and preferences of potential passengers toward the specific attributes of electrified buses, this study performed an online survey (N = 586) that includes people who had experienced travel on public buses. Values of the relative importance of eight different attributes—safety, ride comfort, environmental friendliness, exterior design, cleanliness, crowding, seat comfort, and convenience getting on/off—were evaluated using the best-worst scaling method. The results showed that safety (share of preference: 41.3%) was the most important attribute when using electrified buses. This was followed by eco-friendliness (14.3%) and ride comfort (13.6%). On the other hand, the least important attribute was exterior design (1.8%). Gender differences were also observed in the valuation of certain attributes among the passenger preferences toward electrified buses. The results of this study contribute to the development of strategies for the wide-spread adoption of electrified buses and provide a stepping-stone to a more sustainable public transportation system.
9 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors focus on the differences in perceptions between experienced and non-experienced electric vehicle users and show that specific policy adaptations have to be made in order to increase the acceptance of EVs in the agriculture sector.
Abstract: A growing population and the impact of climate change represent clear challenges for the agricultural sector. Adapting agricultural machinery, e.g., raising the use of electric vehicles (EVs), is one way of meeting such challenges. Although interest in EVs and sustainable farming is becoming ever stronger, in practice the usage of EVs still remains at a relatively low level. As EV experience is key in deciding for or against e-mobility, the present paper focuses on the differences in perceptions between experienced and non-experienced electric vehicle users. The present study was conducted in the course of a pilot project on e-mobility in rural Austrian regions. Three hundred and thirty-four farmers were asked to assess the performance of 13 attributes regarding e-cars and agricultural EVs. While none of the selected attributes were deemed unimportant, there were clear differences in perceptions between those with and without EV experience. For example, farmers with experience were more satisfied with the performance of current EVs than those without experience. Availability of a private charging station for agricultural EVs is seen as important by both groups, but experienced farmers rate the respective importance, and also satisfaction with private charging stations significantly higher than farmers without experience. The results show that specific policy adaptations have to be made in order to increase the acceptance of EVs in the agriculture sector.
9 citations
TL;DR: In this article , a nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) and distributed exponentially-stable robust PID-like protocol is proposed to optimize the energy consumption performance of the leader tracking trajectory.
Abstract: The improvement of energy performance for platoons of autonomous connected vehicles is one of the major challenges the road transport sector is facing with. To this aim, this work addresses and solves the energy-consumption problem for uncertain heterogeneous electric nonlinear autonomous vehicles platoon via a novel Eco-Driving Control Architecture able to optimize its energy consumption performance while ensuring the fulfillment of the optimal leader tracking trajectory. Specifically, it consists of a Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (NMPC) strategy, driving the leader motion and computing the optimal ecological trajectory to be imposed on the whole platoon, and a novel distributed exponentially-stable robust PID-like protocol, driving the follower vehicles motion for achieving a precise leader-tracking with a desired transient behavior as required for the accurate implementation of the energy-saving control. The exponential stability of the overall vehicular network is analytically proven with the Lyapunov theory and the derived robust stability conditions allow the proper tuning of the control gains on the basis of the desired decay rate. The efficiency of the proposed approach is corroborated via the high-fidelity Mixed Traffic Simulator (MiTraS) co-simulation platform under different operative scenarios and a wide uncertainty range for the vehicles parameters. Simulation results confirm how the proposed architecture ensures the eco-driving behaviour for the whole vehicles platoon.
9 citations
TL;DR: In this article, two sample cables were manufactured with ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM) insulation and a chlorosulfonated polyethylene rubber (CSM) sheath.
Abstract: Polymeric insulated cable with high ampacity and good thermal performance is the core of the new fast charging technology for electric vehicles (EVs). Advanced materials with both good thermal and electrical properties to improve the performance of EVs charging cable are proposed in this paper. Two sample cables were manufactured with ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM) insulation and a chlorosulfonated polyethylene rubber (CSM) sheath. Both the insulation and sheathing materials were modified by hybrid boron nitride (BN) to improve the thermal conductivity (TC). The test results show that the modified EPDM insulation has good electrical and mechanical properties. For the temperature characteristics of these two cables, the adoption of high TC EPDM insulation and CSM sheath can improve the heat dissipation capability and the temperature distribution in the cable. In addition, the theoretical ampacity of the cable was calculated showing a significant improvement. The employment of high TC insulation and sheath appears to be of great benefit to the reduction of temperature and increase in ampacity of EV charging cables.
9 citations
Cites background from "Barriers to widespread adoption of ..."
...For the purpose of reducing the charging time, high power charging systems are imperative, which make it possible to recharge an EV within an acceptable time analogous to conventional internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV) refueling time [4]....
[...]
References
More filters
TL;DR: Ajzen, 1985, 1987, this article reviewed the theory of planned behavior and some unresolved issues and concluded that the theory is well supported by empirical evidence and that intention to perform behaviors of different kinds can be predicted with high accuracy from attitudes toward the behavior, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control; and these intentions, together with perceptions of behavioral control, account for considerable variance in actual behavior.
65,095 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors report results of two questionnaire studies aimed at examining various motives for car use, and investigate individual differences in the relative importance of the three categories of motives were investigated.
Abstract: This paper reports results of two questionnaire studies aimed at examining various motives for car use. In the first study, a random selection of 185 respondents who possess a driving licence were interviewed. Respondents were recruited from the cities of Groningen and Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The sample of the second study comprised a random selection of 113 commuters who regularly travelled during rush hours in and around Rotterdam, a region in the west of the Netherlands. First, it was examined which categories of car use motives may be distinguished. As proposed by Dittmar’s (1992) [The social psychology of material possessions: to have is to be. Havester Wheatsheaf, Hemel Hempstead, UK; St. Martin’s Press, New York] model on the meaning of material possessions, results from both studies revealed that car use not only fulfils instrumental functions, but also important symbolic and affective functions. Second, it was studied to what extent these different motives are related to the level of car use. From the results of study 2, it appeared that commuter car use was most strongly related to symbolic and affective motives, and not to instrumental motives. Third, individual differences in the relative importance of the three categories of motives were investigated. In both studies, most group differences were found in the evaluation of the symbolic and affective motives (and not the instrumental ones). Especially frequent drivers, respondents with a positive car attitude, male and younger respondents valued these non-instrumental motives for car use. These results suggest that policy makers should not exclusively focus on instrumental motives for car use, but they should consider the many social and affective motives as well.
1,064 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the relative efficacy of state sales tax waivers, income tax credits and non-tax incentives for hybrid-electric vehicle adoption in the United States has been studied and shown that the type of tax incentive offered is as important as the value of the tax incentive.
Abstract: Federal, state and local governments use a variety of incentives to induce consumer adoption of hybrid-electric vehicles. We study the relative efficacy of state sales tax waivers, income tax credits and non-tax incentives and find that the type of tax incentive offered is as important as the value of the tax incentive. Conditional on value, we find that sales tax waivers are associated a seven-fold greater increase in hybrid sales than income tax credits. In addition, we estimate the extent to which consumer adoption of hybrid-electric vehicles (HEV) in the United States from 2000-2006 can be attributed to government incentives, changing gasoline prices, or consumer preferences for environmental quality or energy security. After controlling for model specific state and time trends, we find that rising gasoline prices are associated with higher hybrid sales, although the effect operates entirely through sales of the hybrid models with the highest fuel economy. In total, we find that tax incentives, rising gasoline prices and social preferences are associated with 6, 27 and 36 percent of high economy hybrid sales from 2000-2006.
595 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explore both the promise and the possible pitfalls of the plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) concept, focusing first on its definition and then on its technical state-of-the-art.
551 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a full year of high-resolution driving data from 484 instrumented gasoline vehicles in the US is used to analyze daily driving patterns, and from those infer the range requirements of electric vehicles (EVs).
Abstract: One full year of high-resolution driving data from 484 instrumented gasoline vehicles in the US is used to analyze daily driving patterns, and from those infer the range requirements of electric vehicles (EVs). We conservatively assume that EV drivers would not change their current gasoline-fueled driving patterns and that they would charge only once daily, typically at home overnight. Next, the market is segmented into those drivers for whom a limited-range vehicle would meet every day’s range need, and those who could meet their daily range need only if they make adaptations on some days. Adaptations, for example, could mean they have to either recharge during the day, borrow a liquid-fueled vehicle, or save some errands for the subsequent day. From this analysis, with the stated assumptions, we infer the potential market share for limited-range vehicles. For example, we find that 9% of the vehicles in the sample never exceeded 100 miles in one day, and 21% never exceeded 150 miles in one day. These drivers presumably could substitute a limited-range vehicle, like electric vehicles now on the market, for their current gasoline vehicle without any adaptation in their driving at all. For drivers who are willing to make adaptations on 2 days a year, the same 100 mile range EV would meet the needs of 17% of drivers, and if they are willing to adapt every other month (six times a year), it would work for 32% of drivers. Thus, it appears that even modest electric vehicles with today’s limited battery range, if marketed correctly to segments with appropriate driving behavior, comprise a large enough market for substantial vehicle sales. An additional analysis examines driving versus parking by time of day. On the average weekday at 5 pm, only 15% of the vehicles in the sample are on the road; at no time during the year are fewer than 75% of vehicles parked. Also, because the return trip home is widely spread in time, even if all cars plug in and begin charging immediately when they arrive home and park, the increased demand on the electric system is less problematic than prior analyses have suggested.
541 citations