What electric vehicle users want: Real-world preferences for public charging infrastructure

Abstract

Electric vehicles offer a means to achieve environmental goals within personal passenger transportation. However, one central challenge in transiting to electric vehicles remains the lack of adequate public charging infrastructure. In this paper we address this challenge by focusing on user preferences for public charging infrastructure. We present new insights from a survey of 843 electric vehicle users in Germany regarding their preferences for public charging infrastructure. The online survey allowed users to locate additional public charging stations required for their personal use and define the characteristics for each station: charging power, location description, accessibility, and expected frequency of use. From the results we identify a need for more public charging infrastructure. We find three critical overarching user preferences and three central infrastructure strategies. First, there is a preference for semi-fast (22 kW AC) charging stations. Second, we find that slow charging (3.7 kW AC) is acceptable for frequently used stations, whereas fast charging (50 kW DC) is desired for infrequently used stations. Third, slow charging is acceptable for locations were vehicles are parked over a longer period of time. For public charging infrastructure strategies, a mix of all station characteristics is critical. There should be infrastructure where people already park plus an additional backup fast network for infrequent charging. Finally, public stations should be provided mainly outside of the freeway system. The results of the survey provide valuable insights into effective and user-oriented public charging infrastructure, which is critical to the success of electric vehicles.