Evaluating Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Policies

Abstract

A lack of charging infrastructure is seen as the biggest barrier to electric vehicle adoption. This thesis analyses the use of public charging infrastructure and its relation to electric vehicle adoption in urban areas. With the use a large dataset on charging station use, charging behaviour is characterised and the influence of national and local policies is estimated. Analysis shows that purchase incentives, local roll-out strategies and parking policies have a substantial influence on charging behaviour and significant cross-pollination between charging and purchase policies exist. The thesis has a special attention for connection times at charging stations, which in contrast to previous work, are here proven to be an interplay between parking and charging behaviour. Policies, such as financial stimulus, to reduce excessive long connection times at charging stations should therefore also be reviewed in this light. Analysis of this behaviour is used to model the different roll-out strategies for urban areas on the longer term. Different roll-out strategies are tested to illustrate how local policy maker decisions can influence the charging security and convenience for electric vehicle drivers. Charging infrastructure all across the city can provide most security, but centralised infrastructure, such as charging hubs, more convenience. Such policies should be supported by stakeholders in the field. Results from this study with these stakeholders show that their perspectives on how to shape charging infrastructure is not necessarily only aligned with their interests. Perspectives on the future differ, but are shared across and within multiple stakeholders.