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.
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors examine the emergence of Tesla Motors and analyse its commercialization of electric vehicles through an in-depth case-study, drawing on both primary and secondary data, and demonstrate that Tesla Motors has not followed a disruptive innovation strategy.
34 citations
Cites background from "Barriers to widespread adoption of ..."
...Rangee defined as the distance a vehicle can travel without needing refueling or recharging e is a performance attribute that some have argued shows electric vehicles could follow a disruptive path (Pearre et al., 2011; Egbue and Long, 2012)....
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors established a bottom-up framework to estimate the impacts of regulation on the technological trends of battery electric vehicles based on the most up-to-date data from the market in China.
Abstract: The newly launched new energy vehicle credit regulation scheme is expected to have a dramatic impact on the development of the Chinese and global new energy vehicle markets. This paper establishes a bottom-up framework to estimate the impacts of regulation on the technological trends of battery electric vehicles based on the most up-to-date data from the market in China. The results suggest that mini-electric cars will always be the most credit cost-effective. Moreover, 350 km will be the optimal driving range under the credit regulation. With the development of energy-saving technologies, midsize electric vehicles will increase in popularity before 2020 and be the first to receive the highest credit of 6. Additionally, promoted by the regulation, the investment in energy-saving technologies will reduce the cost of batteries and lead to higher credits, especially for large-class and high electric range vehicles. However, the regulation likely faces the risk of losing this positive effect in 2025 or even earlier. To avoid such a circumstance, the relevant policies should be modified before such a scenario occurs.
34 citations
17 Aug 2014
TL;DR: In this article, the authors proposed an integrated decision-making framework to assess profitability of cooperative business models based on a multi-disciplinary optimization model that combines marketing, engineering, and operations.
Abstract: A major barrier in consumer adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is ‘range anxiety,’ the concern that the vehicle will run out of power at an inopportune time Range anxiety is caused by the current relatively low electric-only operational range and sparse public charging station infrastructure Range anxiety may be significantly mitigated if EV manufacturers and charging station operators work in partnership using a cooperative business model to balance EV performance and charging station coverage This model is in contrast to a sequential decision making model where manufacturers bring new EVs to the market first and charging station operators decide on charging station deployment given EV specifications and market demand This paper proposes an integrated decision making framework to assess profitability of a cooperative business models based on a multi-disciplinary optimization model that combines marketing, engineering, and operations This model is demonstrated in a case study involving battery electric vehicle design and direct-current fast charging station location network in the State of Michigan The expected benefits can motive both government and private enterprise actions© 2014 ASME
34 citations
Cites background from "Barriers to widespread adoption of ..."
...EVs face several consumer adoption barriers such as vehicle operating range, vehicle cost, perceived safety, unusual emergency situations, reliability, vehicle size and performance, infrastructure support, long charging time, high charging cost, and long payback period expectations [1,2]....
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors use the U.S. National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) database as a basis to analyze typical PHEV energy requirements and use Monte Carlo methods to model the uncertainty inherent in battery state-of-charge and trip duration.
Abstract: In the past decade, plug-in (hybrid) electric vehicles (PHEVs) have been widely proposed as a viable alternative to internal combustion vehicles to reduce fossil fuel emissions and dependence on petroleum. Off-peak vehicle charging is frequently proposed to reduce the stress on the electric power grid by shaping the load curve. Time of use (TOU) rates have been recommended to incentivize PHEV owners to shift their charging patterns. Many utilities are not currently equipped to provide real-time use rates to their customers, but can provide two or three staggered rate levels. To date, an analysis of the optimal number of levels and rate-duration of TOU rates for a given consumer demographic versus utility generation mix has not been performed. In this paper, we propose to use the U.S. National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) database as a basis to analyze typical PHEV energy requirements. We use Monte Carlo methods to model the uncertainty inherent in battery state-of-charge and trip duration. We conclude the paper with an analysis of a different TOU rate schedule proposed by a mix of U.S. utilities. We introduce a centralized scheduling strategy for PHEV charging using a genetic algorithm to accommodate the size and complexity of the optimization.
34 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the importance of attitudinal constructs related to general car attitudes and the meanings attached to car ownership over evaluations of electric vehicles (EVs) was assessed using principal component analysis.
Abstract: This paper reports findings from a research study which assesses the importance of attitudinal constructs related to general car attitudes and the meanings attached to car ownership over evaluations of electric vehicles (EVs). The data are assessed using principal component analysis to evaluate the structure of the underlying attitudinal constructs. The identified constructs are then entered into a hierarchical regression analysis which uses either positive or negative evaluations of the instrumental capabilities of EVs as the dependent variable. Results show that attitudinal constructs offer additional predictive power over socioeconomic characteristics and that the symbolic and emotive meanings of car ownership are as, if not more, effective in explaining the assessment of EV instrumental capability as compared to issues of cost and environmental concern. Additionally, the more important an individual considers their car to be in their everyday life, the more negative their evaluations are of EVs whilst individuals who claim to be knowledgeable about cars in general and EVs in particular have a lower propensity for negative EV attitudes. However, positive and negative EV attitudes are related to different attitudinal constructs suggesting that it is possible for someone to hold both negative and positive assessments at the same time.
34 citations
Cites background from "Barriers to widespread adoption of ..."
...With previous research highlighting the importance of range anxiety (Beggs et al. 1981; Egbue and Long 2012), fuel cost (Potoglou and Kanaroglou 2007) and purchase price premiums (Ewing and Sarigöllü 1998) to consumer evaluations of EVs, these have been incorporated into this component....
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...This paper aims to offer new insights regarding why consumer demand for EVs is not reaching expectations in an effort to add towards the growing evidence base on this issue (Egbue and Long 2012; Shepherd et al. 2012)....
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References
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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