Solidarity in EV charging

Abstract

Currently, the electricity grid in the Netherlands is reaching its capacity, resulting in congestion issues. One of the factors that causes the electricity grid to become overloaded is the increasing use of EVs (electric vehicles). A situation in which a large number of EV users in a certain area charge their EV at the same time can significantly increase the risk of congestion in the electricity network. To avoid such situations it is necessary to change the charging behaviour of the EV users.

The literature shows that smart charging systems, such as charging schemes, are having a high potential to solve these grid capacity problems. In the context of this study, a charging scheme is defined as a contract between an EV user and the charge card provider/electricity supplier stating, among others, at what times an EV user could charge his/her EV. However, to ensure that charging schemes can effectively contribute to solving the grid capacity problems, it is important that many EV users are willing to participate in such schemes.

Therefore, the research objective is to study how EV users will react to various charging schemes. In particular, the aim is to assess the effectiveness of appealing to someone's intrinsic motivation versus providing extrinsic incentives. First of all, with regard to the extrinsic incentives, this study specifically concerns monetary incentives. By presenting different discounts, it is possible to test whether a monetary compensation influences the willingness to participate in a charging scheme. Secondly, with regard to someone’s intrinsic motivation, this study focuses on appealing to someone's solidarity as a form of an intrinsic motivation. EV users with a certain degree of solidarity can be motivated to participate in a charging scheme when solidarity incentives are obtained (social recognition, togetherness and the development of friendships). By emphasizing the social benefits of a charging scheme, solidarity incentives could possibly increase the willingness to participate in a charging scheme.

Since the objective of the study is to research how EV users will react to various charging schemes, a survey containing a discrete choice experiment is used. To be able to examine the effectiveness of providing an extrinsic incentive (monetary compensation) versus appealing to someone's solidarity by emphasizing the social benefits of a charging scheme, the survey contains two charging scheme versions, an incentive-based version and an intrinsic-based version. By using two survey versions, it is possible to examine separately whether it is more effective to appeal to someone's intrinsic motivation versus providing a financial compensation.

The results show that the willingness to participate in a charging scheme was generally higher in the intrinsic-based version than in the incentive-based version. Based on this, it can be concluded, within the boundaries of the selected attribute ranges, that appealing to someone's solidarity by emphasizing the social benefits is more effective than offering a financial compensation. This is also substantiated by the fact that the financial compensation attribute included in the incentive-based charging schemes does not influence the willingness to participate.