Plug-In Behaviour in UK and Germany

Kurzfassung

Controlled and flexible electric vehicle (EV) charging, including bidirectional vehicle-to-grid (V2G) operation, offers substantial storage capacity and load flexibility for future resilient electricity systems. Yet, while the techno-economic potential of flexible charging is well established, empirical knowledge of the determinants of plug-in behaviour among average customers remains limited, particularly regarding the relative role of socio-economic, technical, and spatial factors across regions. This study addresses this gap by comparing EV plug-in behaviour in two UK regions (North East and West Midlands, n = 256) and Germany (n = 841) using a joint online survey that captures demographics, EV ownership and usage, charging patterns, and charging infrastructure experience. Respondents were classified by rural–urban region type, and six binary logistic regression models were estimated to examine strategic charging, charging wait tolerance, night-time charging, public charging reliance, charging frequency, and low-state-of-charge (SOC) charging behaviour. Results show that charging behaviour is shaped by a combination of socio-demographic, vehicle-related, mobility, and spatial factors, with pronounced cross-national differences: vehicle characteristics (driving range, daily travel distance) and private parking availability are the dominant determinants in Germany, whereas in the UK socio-economic factors play a stronger role, with higher-income households being less inclined to engage in strategic charging and less tolerant of waiting at public chargers. The UK's widespread time-of-use tariffs drive a markedly higher share of off-peak charging (approx. 37% versus 8% in Germany). Urban respondents in both countries rely more on public infrastructure, while rural users favour home charging. These findings indicate that off-peak price incentives and targeted support for home-charging infrastructure can effectively shape flexible charging patterns, particularly in urban settings. Limitations include the urban-biased UK sample and reliance on self-reported data; future work will incorporate actual charging logs and extend the geographic scope.