Moving your electric car for others

Abstract

Public charging points are essential for the transition to electric mobility, but there is a lack of knowledge on electric vehicle (EV) drivers’ perceptions of explicit social norms regarding the appropriate usage of these shared charging points. Communicating to EV drivers how other EV drivers believe that public charging points should be used could improve the use of charging points and the development of social norm interventions. Hence, we aim to identify the injunctive norms for sharing public charging points from the perspective of EV drivers. We analysed responses from EV drivers to an open survey question about their perception of appropriate social behaviour at public charging points. We coded responses deductively with a set of previously identified prosocial charging behaviours and inductively to identify additional prosocial charging behaviours. Respondents (N = 246) referred to 11 different behaviours. The main injunctive norm is to move a fully or sufficiently charged vehicle from the charging spot after charging. Two less relevant injunctive norms are interpersonal interactions between EV drivers, such as contacting other charging point users about the charging point by sharing contact details and using apps, and charging only when necessary or only charging the necessary energy. Additionally, for these three injunctive norms, we coded details mentioned by respondents, such as motivations and considerations. We recommend that municipal policymakers and charge point operators make the social context of charging at public charging points salient in their communication, facilitate social interaction, and avoid communication on ambiguous behaviours.