Electric vehicle adoption: An analysis of best practice and pitfalls for policy making from experiences of Europe and the US

Abstract

Accelerating the rate of electric vehicle (EV) adoption is an objective of many countries to mitigate and ameliorate negative externalities arising from the use of fossil fuels for personal motorised transportation including: greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, air pollution and noise, as well as increasing energy security and reducing budget deficits. Within the dynamic field of EVs, this paper highlights strategic directions for policy makers to increase EV uptake. The paper critically reviews measures adopted by some industrialised countries to motivate consumer purchase of EVs rather than conventional internal combustion vehicles (ICVs). A key focus is the role of financial and soft incentives to encourage EV adoption. The analysis reveals that not all incentives are equally effective; an adequate recharger network appears to be a common concerning factor for EV adoption due to customer anxiety and vehicle limitations. Best practice strategies that could foster a faster transition to EV adoption include appropriate legislation, installation and maintenance of an adequate public recharger network, government procurement programs, and investment in information programs to accelerate the transition towards fossil free driving. The paper evidences how implementation of these strategies can affect overall adoption rates.

An Analysis of Consumer Incentives in Support of Electric Vehicle Uptake: An Australian Case Study

“…Prior research revealed that most consumers lack adequate, accurate information about EVs [22]; hence, an experimental component was included in the first questionnaire to enhance understanding of the influence that information provision may have on decision making. The methodological framework took into account incentives shown to encourage EV uptake in markets where EVs are more popular (as reported in [2]). This research used a sequential design, as outcomes from the first questionnaire were used to influence design aspects of the second questionnaire [23].…”

“…Burning fossil fuels for energy has a pivotal role in global warming, which left unchecked could lead to catastrophic climate change [1]. Not only does oil consumed for transport via internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) result in Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, a wide range of other negative externalities also impact the environment, economy, and society [2]. Transitioning to alternative transport energy sources is critical for Australia to reach its GHG emissions target and reduce its reliance on imported oil; with existing technologies presenting some of the lowest cost options [3].…”

“…Policy methods designed to increase the attractiveness of EVs have been reported elsewhere (for example, [2,4,5]). Analyses of strategies employed in various industrialized markets demonstrate that government action is essential to encourage individuals to buy EVs, hence the need for governments to support the roll-out of fast recharge infrastructure, among other initiatives.…”

“…Analyses of strategies employed in various industrialized markets demonstrate that government action is essential to encourage individuals to buy EVs, hence the need for governments to support the roll-out of fast recharge infrastructure, among other initiatives. Such actions can be a crucial path to rapidly reduce transport-related oil consumption; however, to date, Australian government action to facilitate the transition to EVs has been very limited [2]. Compared to other mature car markets (for example, Norway, the Netherlands, California), Australia has a low consumer acceptance of EVs, with negligible uptake [6]; thus it could be considered a laggard country.…”

A review of consumer preferences of and interactions with electric vehicle charging infrastructure

“…The success of PEV technology is partially reliant on the development of recharging infrastructure, among other constraints (Wolinetz and Axsen, 2017). There are currently only a small number of studies published in the academic literature that review existing research on the development of PEV recharging infrastructure (Broadbent et al, 2017;Hall and Lutsey, 2017). This paper builds on these studies to provide more insights to policymakers and academics.…”